' 

1 

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cH'.  ,e.v  .  '9'-' 


^  PRINCETON,    N.  J.  <J^ 


Purchased   by  the 
i  Mrs.    Robert   Lenox    Kennedy  Church   History   Fund. 

'\  BR  746  7CT  1894 

!         Cathcart,  William,  1826- 

!  1908. 

I        The  ancient  British  and 

Irish  churches  including 


^  s 


p  I 


BRITANNIA         ROM    ANA 


Tak(_-ii  IVoiii  liapiii's  "History  of  Eiigiaiid. 


THE  ANCIENT 


British  and  Irish  Churches 


INCLUDING  THE 


LIFE  AND  LABORS  OF  ST.  PATRICK 


BY 

WILLIAM  CATHCART,  D.  D. 

Editor  of  The  Baptist  Encycloposdia,  and  Author  of  The  Papal  System 


WITH  MAPS,  ILLUSTRATIONS,  AND  FULL  INDICES 


PHILADELPHIA 

CHARLES    FT.    BANES 
1420  Chestnut  Street 

1S94 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1894,  by  the 

AMERICAN  BAPTIST  PUBLICATION  SOCIETY, 

In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington,  D.  C. 


CONTENTS, 


BOOK  I. 

Christianity  Among  the  Ancient  Britons. 

CHAPTER  PAGK 

I.  Introduction  of  Christianity, 11 

II.  Introduction  of  Christianity   {Continued),     .    .      19 

III,  Christianity  among  the  Ancient  Britons  dur- 

ing THE  First  Four  Centuries, 25 

IV.  Christianity  among  the  Ancient  Britons  dur- 

ing THE  First  Four  Centuries  (Cbw^inw^c?),  .    .      33 

V.  Christianity  among  the  Ancient  Britons  dur- 
ing THE  Fifth  and  Sixth  Centuries,  ....      39 

VI.  Christianity  among  the  Ancient  Britons  dur- 
ing THE  Fifth  and  Sixth  Centuries  (Continued)     48 

BOOK  II. 

Christianity  Among  the  Ancient  Irish. 

I.  The  Gospel  in  Ireland  before  St.  Patrick's  Day,  59 

II.  Britain,  St.  Patrick's  Country, 63 

III,  St.  Patrick  as  a  Missionary, 69 

IV.  St.  Patrick's  Supposed  Mission  from  Rome  .    .  77 


4  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

V.  St.  Patrick's  Koman  Commission  Unauthenti- 

CATED, 84 

VI.  Foreign  Appeals  to  Rome, 91 

yil.  Papal  Appeals  in  Gaul  and  Ireland,  ....  95 

VIII.  St.  Patrick's  Missionary  Qualifications,      .    .  101 

IX.  St.  Patrick's  Missionary  Qualifications  {Con- 
tinued),    110 

X.  St.   Patrick's    Great  Work  and    his  Exalted 

Worth, 118 

XL  St.  Patrick's    Confession,    and  his    Letter  to 

Coroticus, 124 

XII.  The    Confession    of    St.    Patrick;    or,     "The 

Epistle  to  the  Irish," 127 

XIIL  St.  Patrick's  Confession  {Continued), 131 

XIV.  St.  Patrick's  Confession  {Continued), 134 

XV.  St.  Patrick's  Confession  {Continued), 138 

XVI.  St.  Patrick's  Confession  {Concluded), 142 

XVII.  St.  Patrick's  Epistle  to  Coroticus,    ....  146 

XVIII.  St.  Patrick  and  Baptism,      .    .    .    , 151 

XIX.  St.  Patrick   held  the  Leading   Doctrines   of 

THE  Baptist  Denomination, 158 


BOOK  III. 

Scotland  and  the  Conversion  of  the  Picts. 

I.  The  Evangelization  of  the  Southern  Picts     .    165 
II.  NiNiAN,  Palladius,  AND  Kentiqern 173 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

III.  The  Life  and  Labors  of  Columba,     .....  181 

IV.  The  Commencement  of  Columba's  Mission  to  the 

Northern  Picts, 189 

V.  Columba's  Success, 196 

VI.  The  Abbey  of  Iona, 199 

VII.  Columba's  Work  Established, 206 

VIII.  Incidents  of  Columba's  Life, 211 


BOOK  ly. 

The  Mission  of  the  Scots  to  the  Anglo-Saxons. 

I.  Protestantism  in  Great  Britain   and  Ireland 

FROM  the  Beginning  of  the  Seventh  Century,  217 

II.  King  Oswald  Converted, 222 

III.  Hibernian  Mission  Schools  among  the  Anglo- 

Saxons,      228 

IV.  NorthuxMbria  and  Mercia, 234 

V.  The  East  Saxons, 237 

VI.  The  Scots  and  their  Anglo-Saxon  Converts,    .  242 
VII.  Protestantism  in  Great  Britain  and  Ireland 

FROM  the  BEGI]?fNING  OF    THE  SEVENTH  CeNTURY,  250 

VIII.  The  Answer  of  the  Britons  to  Augustine,    .    .  258 

IX.  Persecution  of  the  Scots, 262 

X.  The  Influence  of  Irish  Missionaries,    ....  269 

XL  The  Early  British  Churches, 277 


6  CONTENTS. 

BOOK  V. 

British  and  Irish  Presbyters  and  Bishops  ;  their 
Marriages  and  Homes. 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  Primitive  Church  Order, 281 

II.  The  Marriage  of  the  Clergy, 285 

III.  Married  Monks  and  Nuns, 289 

IV.  Early  Monasteries  in  Great  Britain  and  Ire- 

land,     292 

V.  Commentaries  in  Monasteries, 295 

VI.  Monasteries  were  Bible  Manufacturing  and 

Distributing  Societies,      .........    299 

VII.  The  Early  British  and  Irish  Monasteries 
■WERE  Theological  Seminaries  and  Home  and 
Foreign  Mission  Societies, 302 

VIII.  Monasteries  among  the  Ancient  Britons  and 
Irish  were  Learned  Universities;  Marriage 
IN  Connection  with  Monasteries, 308 


BOOK  YI. 

Some  of  the  Doctrines  and  Observances  of  the 
Ancient  British  and  Irish  Christians. 

I.  Sin  and  Salvation, 312 

II.  The  Atonement,  and   Conversion, 315 

III.  Justification,  Life,  and  Intercession,       ...  318 

IV.  The  Lord's  Supper,  or  Eucharist, 322 

V.  The  Doctrine  of  Purgatory, 330 


PREFACE. 


The  inhabitants  of  England,  Ireland,  and  Scotland, 
before  the  invasion  of  the  Anglo-Saxons  in  the  fifth 
century,  had  common  Celtic  ancestors.  There  is  no 
more  interesting  or  less  known  portion  of  ecclesiastical 
history  than  that  of  the  ancient  religious  communities  of 
Great  Britain  and  Ireland.  Not  one  of  these  powerful 
churches  was  founded  by  Rome  or  rendered  any  allegi- 
ance to  the  supreme  pontiff  for  centuries  after  its  estab- 
lishment. 

The  Britons  were  evano-elized  before  the  end  of  the 
fourth  century.  Their  scanty  religious  history  inspires 
admiration  for  their  heroism  under  imperial  Roman,  and 
heathen  Anglo-Saxon  persecutions,  and  deep  regret  that 
so  few  of  their  ancient  records  were  spared.  St.  Patrick, 
Ninian,  and  Kentigern,  the  apostles  of  great  numbers  of 
converts,  were  Britons.  Helena,  the  Christian  mother  of 
Constantine  the  Great,  was  a  native  of  Britain.  No 
people  in  Christian  history  ever  showed  greater  fidelity 
to  their  Bible  principles,  when  sacerdotal  enemies  of  the 
gospel  tried  to  drive  them  from  the  truth. 

St.  Patrick's  career  as  a  slave,  as  a  prince  of  preachers, 
as  a  missionary,  who  by  Divine  help  overcame  the  fierce 


8  PREFACE. 

idolatry  of  a  whole  nation,  and  by  his  unselfish  love  cap- 
tured their  hearts  and  those  of  their  descendants  for 
fourteen  hundred  and  fifty  years,  is  without  an  exact 
parallel  in  all  the  biographies  of  missionary  heroes.  His 
Christian  life  is  full  of  fascination. 

The  history  of  Patrick  began  to  lose  its  legendary  char- 
acter after  the  learned  Archbishop  Ussher,  in  the  seven- 
teenth century,  showed  him  to  the  world  as  a  simple  and 
mighty  evangelical  preacher,  like  the  illustrious  primate 
of  Ireland  himself.  George  III.,  in  1783,  established 
for  Ireland  its  only  order  of  kuighthood,  the  knights  of 
St.  Patrick.  George  was  a  very  decided  Protestant. 
Neither  he  nor  his  ministry  had  any  purpose  to  conciliate 
Roman  Catholics  in  the  new  institution.  The  Irish  Par- 
liament was  a  Protestant  body ;  and  a  majority  of  the 
knights  have  always  been  Protestants. 

The  great  Protestant  "Religious  Tract  Society"  of 
London,  the  mother  of  all  similar  organizations  every- 
where, has  issued  within  a  few  years  the  works  of  St. 
Patrick  in  its  series  called  "  Christian  Classics,"  which 
contains  one  each  of  the  productions  of  St.  Augustine, 
Ansel m,  Athanasius,  Basil,  and  William  Tyndale,  the 
illustrious  translator  of  the  English  Bible. 

The  "  Lords  Commissioners"  of  the  British  Treasury,  in 
1887,  ordered  that  "  The  Tripartite  Life  of  Patrick,"  with 
other  documents  relating  to  that  saint,  should  be  printed 
and  placed  among  the  "  chronicles  and  memorials  of  Great 
Britain  and  Ireland  during  the  middle  ages."  This 
learned    publication     is     an     encyclopaedia    of    ancient 


PREFACE.  9 

writings  relating  to  Patrick,  and  of  his  own  genuine 
works. 

The  volume  which  we  now  send  forth,  contains  careful 
translations  of  Patrick's  extant  literary  efforts,  and  an 
account  of  every  known  and  important  transaction  of 
his  life.  It  also  furnishes  sketches  of  the  labors  of 
Ninian  and  Kentigern  in  Scotland,  and  of  the  life  and 
labors  of  Columba,  the  apostle  of  the  Northern  Picts  of 
Caledonia,  probably  the  greatest  Irishman  who  ever 
served  the  Saviour. 

It  relates  the  wonderful  story  of  the  Hibernian  mission 
from  lona  to  the  pagan  Anglo-Saxons,  presided  over  by 
Aidan,  Finan,  and  Colman,  which,  by  the  grace  of  God, 
resulted  in  the  conversion  of  at  least  two  thirds  of  that 
people,  whose  descendants  to-day  own  so  much  of  the 
wealth,  commerce,  territory,  power,  and  missionary  enter- 
prise of  the  world.  Augustine,  the  Italian  Archbishop 
of  Canterbury,  and  his  fellow-monks,  were  little  more 
than  pioneers  in  the  conversion  of  the  Anglo-Saxons. 
This  glorious  Hibernian  success  rests  upon  evidence  as 
strong  as  that  which  makes  it  certain  that  William  the 
Conqueror  gained  the  victory  over  Harold  at  the  battle 
of  Hastings. 

It  presents  historical  testimony  showing  tliat  the  an- 
cient Britons,  Picts,  and  Hibernians  were  not  Roman 
Catholics.  It  treats  of  the  marriage  of  the  British  and 
Irish  clergy,  and  of  their  great  monastic  institutions, 
which  were  established  as  missionary  societies,  theological 
seminaries,  Bible  copying  and  distributing  organizations, 


10  PREFACE. 

as  parsonages  for  great  numbers  of  home  missionaries^ 
and  as  universities,  divinely  favored  in  imparting  a 
learned  education  to  semi-barbarous  Anglo-Saxons,  and  to 
unenlightened  youths  from  every  quarter  of  Europe. 

It  describes  a  number  of  the  leading  doctrines  and 
observances  of  the  ancient  British  and  Irish  churches, 
based  upon  their  early  commentaries  or  other  writings, 
which  show  a  remarkable  agreement  with  the  creeds  and 
practices  of  the  evangelical  Christians  of  our  day,  but 
especially  with  those  of  the  Baptists. 

The  story  is  one  of  the  greatest  interest,  and  entirely 
controverts  the  claims  of  the  Roman  hierarchy  respecting 
these  ancient  Christians  and  the  foundations  they  estab- 
lished. 

Foot-notes  furnish  reliable  authorities  for  all  the  im- 
portant statements  that  are  made.  I  am  indebted  to  the 
Rev.  Philip  L.  Jones,  A.  B.,  for  valuable  suggestions. 

W.  C. 

Philadelphia,  Jan.,  1894. 


Ancient  British  and  Irish  Churches. 


BOOK  I. 
CHRISTIANITY  AMONG  THE  ANCIENT  BRITONS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

INTRODUCTION   OF   CHRISTIANITY. 

Dean  Stanley  and  Augustine-The  Anglo-Saxons  not  chiefly  evan- 
gelized by  Romish  missionaries-Roman  legions-Koman  traders- 
Commerce  with  the  East-Greeks  and  Marseilles-Persecutions  at 
Vienne  and  Lyons-Simon  Zelotes,  Paul,  Peter,  Philip,  and  others, 
supposed  to  have  been  missionaries  in  Britain. 

The  ancient  Britons,  who  once  occupied  all  England  and 
a  considerable  part  of  Scotland,  had  much  to  do,  through 
their  religious  descendants,  in  the  conversion  of  their  Anglo- 
Saxon  conquerors.     These  pagans,  coming  into  Britam  m  the 
fifth  century,  reared  temples  of  idolatry  in  all  directions,  and 
destroyed  every  vestige  of  British  Christianity  within  their 
reach.     In  A.  d.  596,  Gregory  the  Great,  bishop  of  Rome,  a 
man  of  large  heart  and  of  sincere  piety,  sent  a  company  ot 
missionaries  into  Britain  to  seek  the  salvation  of  the  heathen 
An-lo-Saxons.     At  the  head  of  this  band  was  Augustine,  the 
first^   archbishop  of  Canterbury.      This   prelate   had   some 
vanity,  a  limited  measure  of  true  religion,  a  good  master  in 
Gregory,  and  favoring  circumstances. 

The  late    Dean   Stanley,  while   a  canon  of  Canterbury, 

wrote : 

I  have  said  little  of  Augustine  himself,  and  that  f-  '-;--';;^; 
First,  because  so  little  is  known  of  him;  secondly  bocau  n,u 

confess,  that  what  little  is  told  of  him  leaves  an  unfavorable    npres 


12  ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

sion  behind.  We  cannot  doubt  that  he  was  an  active,  self-denying 
man — his  coming  here  through  so  many  dangers  of  sea  and  land 
proves  it ;  and  it  would  be  ungrateful  and  ungenerous  not  to  acknowl- 
edge how  much  we  owe  to  him.  But  still,  almost  every  personal  trait 
which  is  recorded  of  him  shows  that  he  was  not  a  man  of  any  great 
elevation  of  character,  that  he  was  thinking  of  himself,  or  of  his  order, 
when  we  should  have  wished  him  to  be  thinking  of  the  great  cause 
he  had  in  hand.  We  see  this  in  his  drawing  back  from  his  journey 
to  Britain  in  France;  we  see  it  in  the  additional  power  which  he 
claimed  from  Gregory  over  his  companions  ;  we  see  it  in  the  warn- 
ings sent  to  him  by  Gregory  that  he  was  not  to  be  puffed  up  by  the 
wonders  he  had  wrought  in  Britain  ;  we  see  it  in  the  haughty  severity 
with  which  he  treated  the  remnant  of  British  Christians  in  Wales, 
not  rising  when  they  approached,  and  uttering  that  malediction 
against  them,  which  sanctioned,  if  it  did  not  instigate,  their  massacre 
by  the  Saxons.^ 

The  success  of  Augustine  of  Canterbury,  during  his  life, 
was  not  very  extensive.  Laurence,  who  followed  him  in  that 
see,  after  the  death  of  Ethelbert,  met  with  serious  trouble. 
His  son  Eadbald  '^  refused  the  faith  of  Christ,  and  fell  into 
immorality.  "  By  these  offenses,"  Bede  says,  "  he  gave  occa- 
sion to  those  to  return  to  their  former  uncleanness,  who,  under 
his  father,  had,  either  for  favor  or  through  fear  of  the  king, 
submitted  to  the  laws  of  faith  and  chastity."  And  such  was 
the  extent  of  this  apostasy  that  Laurentius  concluded  to  leave 
Britain,  and  was  only  hindered  by  what  he  represented  as  a 
miraculous  visit  of  St.  Peter,  who  gave  him  good  advice  and 
a  sound  "  scourging,"  which  lasted  "  for  a  long  time."  The 
same  thing  occurred  among  the  East  Saxons.  The  three  sons 
of  Sabert,  the  king,  professed  idolatry  after  his  death,  and  the 
people  turned  to  their  old  idols  with  renewed  devotion  ;  and 
Mellitus,  their  bishop,  with  Justus,  bishop  of  Kochester  in 
Kent,  fled  to  France,  these  two  bishops  and  Laurentius 
having  "unanimously  agreed  that  it  was  better  for  them  all 
to  return  to  their  own  country,  where  they  might  serve  God 
in  freedom,  than  to  continue  without  any  advantage  among 
these  barbarians  who  had  revolted  from  the  faith." 

1 "  Historical  Memorials  of  Canterbury,"  pp.  33,  34.    London,    1855. 
»  Bede's  "  Eccles.  Hist ,"  Lib.  II.,  cap.  5,  6. 


INTRODUCTION   OF  CHRISTIANITY.  13 

Pauliniis,  probably  the  ablest  and  best  of  the  Italian  mis- 
sionaries, labored  with  much  apparent  success  in  the  king- 
dom of  Northurabria  from  a.  d.  625  to  A.  d.  633,  when  there 
was  a  great  slaughter  of  Christians  in  Northumbria,  and 
flight  alone  promised  safety ;  Paulinus  removed  to  Kent,  and 
became  bishop  of  Rochester,  where  he  lived  for  nineteen 
years,  having  completely  abandoned  his  work  ^  in  that  region. 

These  forsaken  fields  were  reclaimed  and  others  were  occu- 
pied, partly  by  those  who  fled  from  their  flocks,  but  chiefly 
by  the  Scottish  missionaries,  the  religious  descendants  of  St. 
Patrick,  without  whose  glorious  labors,  in  all  probability,  the 
Anglo-Saxons  would  have  been  largely  pagans  for  centuries. 

The  ancient  Britons  belonged  to  the  great  Celtic  race,  sec- 
tions of  which  furnished  inhabitants  to  Great  Britain  and 
Ireland,  and  to  Gaul  long  before  its  conquest  by  the  Franks. 
The  Britons  had  nothing  in  common  with  the  Anglo-Saxons. 
In  religion  they  followed  Druidism ;  private  quarrels  were 
judged  by  their  priests,  as  well  as  disputes  about  bequests, 
and  all  criminal  accusations.  Punishments  and  rewards  were 
controlled  by  them  ;  they  exercised  the  greatest  power  over 
the  public  and  private  lives  of  the  people.  They  used  their 
whole  authority  against  the  Roman  invaders  of  Britain,  who 
found  it  necessary  to  destroy  them.  Under  Suetonius  Pauli- 
nus, the  legions  in  Britain  overthrew  the  altars  and  destroyed 
the  ancient  forests,  until,  in  Nero's  time,  Druidism  was  shut 
up  within  the  little  island  of  Mona  (Anglesey).  Thither  it 
was  followed  by  Suetonius  Paulinus.  In  vain  the  sacred  vir- 
gins hurried  to  the  shore  like  furies,  in  mourning  habits,  with 
disheveled  hair,  and  brandishing  torches.  He  forced  the 
passage,  and  slaughtered  every  human  being  that  fell  into  his 
hands.  This  occurred  in  a.  d.  61.^  The  sacred  groves  of  the 
Druids  were  cut  down,  and  all  traces  of  their  former  author- 
ity removed.       From    this    crushing  blow  Druidism    never 


1  Bede's  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"   Lib.  II.,  cap.  21. 

2  "  Tacit.  Annal., "  XIV.,  29,  30. 


14  ANCIENT  BRITISH   AND  IRISH   CHURCHES. 

recovered.  Its  overthrow  in  South  Britain  banished  the  Sav- 
iour's greatest  enemy. 

It  is  impossible  to  fix  the  exact  date  when  the  gospel  was 
first  introduced  into  Britain  ;  nor  can  the  channels  through 
which  it  came  be  determined  with  certainty.  As  the  first 
preachers  of  the  gospel  in  Rome  are  wholly  unknown,  so  the 
records  of  men  furnish  nothing  reliable  about  the  first  British 
missionaries. 

The  Roman  legions  and  colonists  were  likely  to  bring  some 
of  the  persons  who  first  told  the  story  of  the  cross  in  Britain. 
Roman  legions  were  located  for  an  indefinite  period  in  some  one 
country — a  century,  or  even  centuries ;  they  were  never  re- 
cruited in  the  province  where  they  were  encamped,  but  in  for- 
eign and  often  distant  countries.  An  English  legion  might 
have  as  recruits  some  of  Paul's  converts  in  Asia  Minor. 
British  recruits  might  be  sent  to  some  legion  located  in  the 
East,  and  might  be  converted  there.  And  they,  on  their  final 
return  home,  and  foreign  disciples  serving  Rome  in  Britain, 
would  surely  aid  in  spreading  the  gospel  in  that  country. 

The  conversion  of  Cornelius,  of  the  Italian  band  in  Cse- 
sarea,  under  Peter's  ministry,  was  one  of  many  cases  where  an 
officer  and  his  household  were  fitted  by  forgiveness  to  tell 
those  around  them  at  the  time  and  on  their  return  to  their 
old  homes,  their  former  neighbors  and  friends,  the  power  of 
the  Crucified  to  take  away  sin.  Through  this  agency,  doubt- 
less, many  Britons  were  saved. 

The  Roman  legions  in  Britain  needed  much  which  it 
could  not  furnish.  Early  after  the  Saviour's  death,  Roman 
traders  followed  the  legions  to  supply  their  wants,  and  to  sell 
the  natives  the  products  of  other  lands.  Toward  the  close 
of  the  first  century,  when  Agricola  completed  the  subjugation 
of  the  Britons,  he  encouraged  them  to  build  temples  and 
houses,  and  to  imitate  the  dress  and  luxuries  of  their  conquer- 
ors.    From  A.  D.  84,  they  gradually  adopted  Roman  usages.* 

1  Tacit.  "  Vit.  Agr,,"  cap.  21, 


INTRODUCTION  OF  CHRISTIANITY.  15 

These  uew  tastes,  and  the  wants  of  the  army,  brought  many 
Roman  civilians  into  Britain,  among  whom  or  their  families 
it  is  probable  that  there  were  Christians,  whose  light  would 
reach  the  hearts  of  their  British  neighbors. 

Never  in  the  history  of  our  race  was  there  a  zeal  that  sur- 
passed that  of  the  early  Christians.  Maligned,  tortured,  de- 
stroyed, by  Nero  and  others,  nothing  could  silence  them. 
The  world  had  not  dangers  with  suflficient  force  to  stop  their 
efforts  and  sacrifices  to  save  souls  ;  and  somehow  they  reached 
Britain  to  tell  the  story  of  Christ's  love.  There  is  reason  to 
believe  that  the  gospel  came  to  Britain  chiefly  in  the  track 
of  commerce.  The  Tyrians  traded  with  Britain  for  ages  be- 
fore the  Christian  era.  The  Carthagenians,  after  the  capture 
of  Tyre  by  Alexander  the  Great,  inherited  for  a  time  the 
commerce  of  Britain. 

The  Greeks,  first  as  rivals,  and  then  as  successors  to  the 
Carthagenians,  took  possession  of  the  exports  and  imports  of 
Britain.  Marseilles,  a  Greek  colony  in  France,  said  to  have 
been  founded  five  hundred  years  before  Christ,  was  the  grand 
depot  to  which  the  tin,  lead,  and  skins  of  Britain  were  con- 
veyed, and  from  which  they  were  transported  to  all  parts  of 
the  world  with  which  the  Greeks  had  commercial  relations.* 
The  conversion  of  many  Greeks  in  early  Christian  times  ac- 
complished much  for  the  spread  of  the  gospel,  and  even 
through  business  relations  that  intelligent  and  resolute  people 
sometimes  rendered  great  service  in  extending  Christ's  king- 
dom. 

Two  young  men  were  taken  by  Meropius,  a  Greek  of  Tyre, 
to  Abyssinia  about  a.  d.  331 ;  upon  his  death  in  that  land, 
whither  he  had  gone  as  a  traveler,  they  unexpectedly  found 
themselves  favorites  of  one  of  its  kings,  holding  important  ap- 
pointments. One  of  them,  Frumentius,  built  a  house  of  prayer, 
and  afterward  was  appointed  a  bishop  through  the  famous 
Athanasius.     Socrates,  the  historian,  states  that   he  was  a 

1  Thackeray's  "  Researches  into  the  Ecclesiastical  and  Political  State  of  Ancient 
Britain,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  18.    London,  1843. 


16  ANCIENT  BRITISH  AND  IRISH   CHURCHES. 

successful  missionary.^  We  have  reason  to  believe  that 
Greek  Christians  buying  tin  and  lead  compassionated  the 
idolatrous  Britons  who  exported  these  scarce  metals,  and 
preached  Christ  to  them. 

The  first  known  church  in  France  was  founded  by  Greeks. 
In  A.  D.  177,  the  Christians  of  Vienne  and  Lyons  were 
dragged  into  cruel  notoriety  by  savage  persecutions  borne 
with  heroic  fidelity.  Milraan  states  that  these  Christians 
appear  to  have  been  a  religious  colony  from  Asia  Minor,  or 
Phrygia.  Pothinus,  their  bishop,  was  in  his  ninetieth  year 
when  dragged  to  prison,  from  the  barbarities  of  which  in  two 
days  he  ascended  to  heaven.  His  name  showed  his  Greek 
origin.  When  the  persecution  ended,  surviving  Christians 
wrote  an  account  of  the  fiendish  sufferings  inflicted  upon 
their  martyrs  to  their  Phrygian  brethren.^  The  sketch  covers 
eleven  octavo  pages,  and  it  is  given  entire  by  Eusebius.^  It 
is  full  of  the  grace  of  God,  and  of  the  most  touching  recitals 
that  ever  shocked  human  hearts.  The  writers  have  nothing 
to  say  to  Pope  Eleutherius  in  this  document ;  they  are  Greeks 
and  disciples  whom  they  have  made,  and  they  send  this 
record  of  the  sufferings  of  their  tortured  and  slain  brethren 
and  sisters  to  their  fellow-believers  in  Asia  Minor. 

Greek  Christians  in  France  or  in  the  East,  it  is  believed, 
long  before  A.  d.  177,  when  persecution  gave  European  and 
Asiatic  prominence  to  the  churches  of  Lyons  and  Vienne, 
gave  effective  help  to  the  evangelization  of  Britain.  Ne- 
ander  expresses  a  common  opinion  about  the  origin  of  British 
Christianity  when  he  says  : 

A  later  tradition  of  the  eighth  century  reports  that  Lucius,  a 
British  king,  requested  the  Koman  bishop,  Eleutherius,  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  second  century,  to  send  him  some  missionaries.  But  the 
peculiarity  of  the  later  British  church  is  evidence  against  its  origin 
from  Rome.  For  in  many  ritual  matters  it  departed  from  the  usage 
of  the  church  of  Rome,  and   agreed  much  more  nearly  with  the 

1 "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  I.,  cap.  19. 

2  "  History  of  Christianity,"  p.  256.    New  York. 

8"  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  V.,  cap.  1. 


INTRODUCTION   OF   CHRISTIANITY.  17 

churches  of  Asiu  Minor.  It  withstood  for  a  long  time  the  authority 
of  the  Komish  papacy.  This  circumstance  would  seem  to  indicate 
that  the  Britons  had  received  their  Christianity  either  immediately, 
or  through  Gaul,  from  Asia  Minor ;  a  thing  quite  possible  and  easy 
by  means  of  the  commercial  intercourse.  The  later  Anglo-Saxons, 
who  opposed  the  spirit  of  ecclesiastical  independence  among  the 
Britons  and  endeavored  to  establish  the  church  supremacy  of  Kome, 
were  uniformly  inclined  to  trace  back  the  church  establishments  to  a 
Roman  origin ;  from  which  eflbrt  many  false  legends,  as  well  as  this, 
might  have  arisen.  ^ 

Fox  gives  the  same  common  impression  about  the  East 
furnishing  the  first  laborers  in  Britain :  "  By  all  which  con- 
jectures it  may  stand  probably  to  be  thought  that  the 
Britons  were  taught  first  by  the  Grecians  of  the  East 
church  rather  than  by  the  Romans."  ^  Fox  mentions 
Joseph  of  Arimathea,  who  was  sent  from  Gaul  into  Britain 
with  twelve  others,  by  the  Apostle  Philip  about  A.  d.  63,  who 
spent  the  remainder  of  his  life  in  that  country  with  his  com- 
panions, and  laid  the  foundations  of  the  Christian  church  in 
it.  He  states  also  that  Simon  Zelotes  was  reported  to  have 
brought  the  gospel  of  Christ  to  Britain.  The  Apostle  Paul 
has  been  claimed  as  the  founder  of  British  Christianity,  and 
the  learned  Stillingfleet,^  while  failing  to  establish  his  title  to 
this  signal  addition  to  many  kindred  honors,  comes  very  near 
to  success.  Philip,  the  apostle,  has  been  represented  as  one 
of  the  early,  if  not  the  first,  preachers  of  the  gospel  in  Brit- 
ain. The  Apostle  Peter  is  also  heralded  as  a  preacher  in 
Britain.  James,  the  son  of  Zebedee,  is  also  in  the  list  of 
British  missionaries.  Aristobulus,  of  whom  Paul  speaks  in 
Rom.  16  :  10,  appears  as  one  of  the  Saviour's  reputed  heralds 
to  the  ancient  Britons.  Surely  such  an  array  of  apostles, 
supposed  to  be  preachers  in  Britain,  is,  at  least,  evidence  of 
the  general  conviction  that  the  Christianity  of  that  land  is 
from  the  East,  either  directly,  or  through  France. 

1 "  General  History  of  the  Christian  Church,"  Vol.  I.,  pp.  85,  86.    Boston. 

«  "  Acts  and  Monuments,"  I.,  306,  307.    London,  1847. 

8  "  The  Antiquities  of  the  British  Churches,"  p.  39.    London,  1840. 


18  ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

Mosheim  says : 

Whether  any  apostle,  or  any  companion  of  an  apostle,  ever  vis- 
ited Britain,  cannot  be  determined ;  yet  the  balance  of  probability 
rather  inclines  toward  the  affirmative.  The  story  of  Joseph  of  Ari- 
mathea  might  arise  from  the  arrival  of  some  Christian  teacher  from 
Gaul,  in  the  second  century,  whose  name  was  Joseph.  As  the  Gauls, 
from  Dionysius,  bishop  of  Paris  in  the  third  century,  made  Diony- 
sius  the  Areopagite  to  be  their  apostle ;  and  the  Germans  made 
Maternus,  Eucherius,  and  Valerius,  who  lived  in  the  third  and 
fourth  centuries,  to  be  preachers  of  the  first  century  and  attendants 
on  St.  Peter ;  so  the  British  monks,  I  have  no  doubt,  made  a  certain 
Joseph  from  Gaul,  in  the  second  century,  to  be  Joseph  of  Arima- 
thea.  1 

There  is  no  reliable  evidence  that  any  of  the  apostles,  or 
their  companions,  ever  preached  in  Britain. 

13  Mosheiiu's  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  p.  52.    Loudon,  1848. 


CHAPTER  II. 

INTRODUCTION  OF  CHRISTIANITY  {Continued). 

Supposed  conversion  of  King  Lucius  and  his  people  by  Komish  mis- 
sionaries—Gregory the  Great  knew  nothing  of  it— Eusebius  is 
io-norant  of  it— Clovis,  "the  eZc^es^  son  of  the  Church"— Eusebius 
and  the  rapid  spread  of  the  gospel. 

Bede,  a  Romanist,  denies  the  Eastern  origin  of  British 
Christianity,  in  his  story  of  the  conversion  of  King  Lucius. 
He  says :  ^ 

In  the  year  of  our  Lord's  incarnation,  A.  d.  156,  Marcus  Antoninus 
Verus,  the  fourteenth  from  Augustus,  was  made  emperor,  together 
with  his  brother  Commodus.  In  their  time,  whilst  Eleutherius,  a 
holy  man,  presided  over  the  Eoman  church,  Lucius,  king  of  the 
Britons,  sent  a  letter  to  him,  entreating  that  by  his  command  he 
might  be  made  a  Christian.  He  soon  obtained  his  pious  request,  and 
the  Britons  preserved  the  faith  which  they  had  received  uncorrupted 
and  entire  in  peace  and  tranquility  until  the  time  of  the  Emperor 
Diocletian.i 

The  object  of  this  fabrication  was  to  glorify  Rome  as  the 
original  fountain  of  British  Christianity,  and  to  foster  obedi- 
ence to  the  popes.  Bede,  though  a  Romanist,  was  incapa- 
ble of  forofing  this  foolish  story ;  but  some  one  else  did. 
There  is  nothing  in  any  writing  now  extant  and  existing  in 
or  before  his  day  upon  which  to  found  this  fraudulent 
national  conversion.  There  was  no  king  of  the  Britons,  as  a 
whole  people,  as  Bede  represents  Lucius  to  have  been,  during 
the  Roman  occupancy  of  their  country.  There  were  no  mis- 
sionaries from  Rome,  or  elsewhere,  who  brought  the  whole  Brit- 
ish people,  apparently  in  the  life  of  one  man,  to  the  Saviour. 
No  such  emperors  as  the  two  named  by  Bede  ever  reigned 
together ;  nor  is  the  date  or  the  name  of  the  Roman  bishop 

1 "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  I.,  cap.  4. 

19 


20  ANCIENT  BRITISH   AND   IKISH   CHURCHES. 

more  correct  than  the  names  of  the  emperors.  Eleutherius 
flourished  between  a.  d.  176  and  190 ;  and  Marcus  Antoninus 
became  emperor  in  A.  d.  161. 

It  is  singular  that  Gildas  should  know  nothing  of  King 
Lucius  and  the  Roman  "  legation  "  that  baptized  him  and  all 
the  Britons.  He  lived  in  the  latter  half  of  the  sixth  century. 
He  was  well  informed  about  the  history  of  the  ancient 
Britons,  his  own  people.  His  works  show  a  fearless  and 
almost  an  abusive  plainness  of  speech  toward  the  Britons. 
If  such  a  mighty  change  occurred  under  King  Lucius  as  the 
conversion  of  all  the  Britons,  Gildas  "  the  Wise"  knew  it  ; 
and  if  he  was  acquainted  with  it,  and  there  was  occasion  to 
say  any  thins:  about  that  great  event,  Gildas  was  the  last  man 
in  his  island,  Briton,  Angle,  or  Saxon,  who  would  have  con- 
cealed it.  Gildas,  however,  states  that  the  gospel  was 
brought  to  his  country  soon  after  the  defeat  of  Boadicea  by 
Suetonius  Paulinus  about  A.  d.  63.  And  he  points  at  nothing 
that  would  lead  us  to  suppose  that  Rome  had  anything  to  do 
with  its  coming.^ 

Eusebius,  who  died  about  A.  d.  339,  wrote  a  church  history 
of  priceless  value,  giving,  among  other  things,  details  of  the 
success  of  Christianity  in  various  places.  He  writes,  for 
instance,  that  "Mark  established  churches  at  Alexandria,  and 
that  a  great  multitude  of  believers,  both  of  men  and  women, 
were  collected  there  at  the  very  outset."'  How  appro- 
priately from  him  would  the  announcement  have  come, 
that  the  Britons  and  their  king,  Lucius,  were  converted  in  a 
few  years  by  two  missionaries  from  Rome!  He  w^as  the 
especial  friend  of  Constantino  the  Great,  whose  mother  was 
born  there,  and  who  had  many  personal  reasons  for  regarding 
Britain  with  affection.  Constantino  or  Helena  could  readily 
have  furnished  the  exact  facts,  or  secured  them  for  him ;  just 
such  information  came  within  the  peculiar  scope  of  the  work 
of  Eusebius.     Its  communication  to  all  Christians  through 

»  "  Works  of  Gildas."  Sec.  8. 

2  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  II.,  cap.  16. 


INTRODUCTION   OF   CHRISTIANITY.  21 

his  pages  could  not  fail  to  gratify  true  believers  everywhere ; 
but  he  knew  uothing  about  it.  Gregory  the  Great,  who  sent 
Auo-ustine  the  missionary  into  England  in  A.  d.  596,  wrote 
him  four  letters  of  instruction,  admonition,  and  encourage- 
ment, which  are  published  in  Bede.  But  there  is  nothing 
about  the  conversion  of  King  Lucius  and  all  his  subjects,  by 
the  OTace  of  God  upon  the  efforts  of  the  missionaries  of  Pope 
Eleutherius;  which  grace  and  success  Augustine  and  his 
companions  might  fully  expect,  coming  into  the  same  island 
with  the  same  papal  commission. 

Rome  utterly  neglected  the  heathenism  of  Gaul  until  the 
middle  of  the  third  century.  In  A.  d.  177,  at  Vienne  and 
Lyons,  in  Gaul,  persecution  brought  to  the  knowledge  of 
believers  the  existence  of  flourishing  communities  of  Chris- 
tians, originally  from  Asia  Minor.  Neander  says:  ^'For  a 
long  time  pagan  superstition  in  other  parts  of  Gaul  withstood 
thelfurther  spread  of  Christianity.  Even  so  late  as  the  mid- 
dle of  the  third  century  few  Christian  communities  were  to 
be  found  there."  '  At  this  time  Rome  sent  her  first  mission- 
aries to  preach  Christ  to  Galilean  heathen.  No  doubt  there 
were  Christian  soldiers  in  the  Roman  legions  and  believers 
among  the  colonists  in  France  from  other  countries  besides 
Italy  who,  in  some  measure,  spread  the  gospel,  but  with  limited 
success.  Gregory  of  Tours  gives  the  names  of  seven  men, 
ordained  as  bishops  and  sent  unto  the  Gauls  from  Rome  to 
preach  Christ.  These  were  Gatianus,  Trophymus,  Paulus, 
Saturnijius,  Dionysius,  Stremonius,  and  Martial.  Some  of 
these  men  went  as  missionaries  to  such  places  as  Pans,  Tours, 
Aries,  Narbonne,  Toulouse.'  No  doubt,  many  appeals  had 
been  made  to  Rome  on  behalf  of  these  Galilean  pagans, 
neighbors  to  Italy.  Why  were  the  alleged  cries  of  distant 
King  Lucius  heard  in  Rome,  and  the  gaping  wounds  of  the 
Gauls  next  door  left  unheeded  by  the  popes  until^hundred 

1  "  General  Church  History,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  84.    Boston.  , 

2  .'  S.  Gregor  Episc,"  Turin  :  Patr.  Lat..  Vol.  LXXI.   "  Hist.  Franc..'  Lib.  I.,  cap. 
28,  p.  175.    Migne. 


22  ANCIENT   BEITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

years  later  ?  This  presents  a  difficulty,  the  only  solution  of 
which  is  found  in  the  fact  that  the  popes  sent  no  missionaries 
west  of  Italy  before  the  seven  missionaries  to  Gaul  about 
A.  D.  250. 

The  kings  of  France  for  ages  received  the  titles  of  "  The 
Eldest  Sons  of  the  Church,"  and  "  Most  Christian  Majesty." 
Michelet  says:  "The  Franks  alone  received  Christianity 
through  the  Latin  church — they  held  their  ground  against 
the  pagan  Saxons,  the  latest  swarm  from  Germany ;  against 
the  Arian  Visigoths  ;  and  finally  against  the  Saracens — there- 
fore, it  is  not  w'ithout  reason  that  our  monarchs  have  been 
styled  '  The  Eldest  Sons  of  the  Church.'  "^  Michelet  seems 
to  intimate  that  this  title  began  with  Clovis,  as  it  was  he  who 
carried  out  the  conversion  of  the  Franks ;  but  he  is  posi- 
tive about  the  titles  belonging  to  the  kings  of  France. 
Mosheim  writes :  "  It  is  said  that  the  conversion  of  Clovis 
gave  rise  to  the  custom  of  addressing  the  French  monarchs 
with  the  titles  of  'Most  Christian  Majesty,'  and  *  Eldest  Sou 
of  the  Church.' "  ^     Bower  says : 

Clovis  was  at  this  time  the  only  Catholic  prince  in  the  world,  as  the 
word  Catholic  was  then  understood ;  Anastasius,  emperor  of  the 
East,  was  a  professed  Eutychian.  Theodoric,  king  of  the  Ostrogoths 
in  Italy;  Alaric,  king  of  the  Visigoths,  master  of  Spain,  and  of  the 
third  part  of  Gaul ;  the  kings  of  the  Burgundians,  Suevians,  and 
Vandals,  in  Gaul,  Spain,  and  Africa,  were  zealous  Arians.  As  for 
the  other  kings  of  the  Franks,  settled  in  Gaul,  they  were  still 
pagans.  Clovis  was  not  only  the  sole  Catholic  prince  at  this  time 
in  the  world,  but  the  first  king  who  ever  embraced  the  Catholic 
religion  {with  his  people) ;  which  procured  to  the  French  king  the 
titles  of  the  ''Most  Christian,"  and  that  of  "  The  Eldest  Son  of  the 
Church:  ^^ 

These  titles  have  been  confirmed  by  the  usage  of  popes 
and  sovereigns,  and  of  inferior  dignitaries  in  secular  and 
ecclesiastical  positions  of  prominence.    Clovis,  for  his  rich  gifts 

1  "  History  of  France,"    Vol.  T.,  p.  84.    New  York. 

2  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  p.  17.5.    London,  1848. 

3  Bower's  "  History  of  the  Popes,"  Vol.  I ,  pp.  295,  29(i.    Philadelphia. 


INTRODUCTION   OF   CHRISTIANITY.  23 

to  churches  in  France,  for  his  crown  of  gold  enriched  with 
precious  stones  to  St.  Peter,  and  for  his  pre-eminence  in  or- 
thodoxy among  sovereigns,  and  his  priority  in  time  among 
heathen  kings,  as  the  first  pagan  prince,  with  his  people,  to 
confess  Christ,  received  for  himself  and  his  successors,  the 
kings  of  France,  the  title  of  "  Eldest  Son  of  the  Church." 
Poor  King  Lucius,  though  said  to  have  been  converted  and 
baptized,  with  his  subjects,  by  missionaries  from  Kume,  is 
deliberately  cast  aside  by  his  mother  of  the  "  Seven  Hills  " 
as  an  impostor,  who  proclaims  that  not  he,  but  Clovis,  is  her 
"Eldest  Son,"  though  he  renounced  idolatry  hundreds  of 
years  later  than  imaginary  Lucius. 

Eusebius,  describing  the  way  in  which  the  gospel  obtained 
its  first  conquests  over  the  nations,  says : 

Under  a  celestial  influence  and  co-operation,  the  doctrine  of  the 
Saviour,  like  the  rays  of  the  sun,  quickly  irradiated  the  world. 
Presently,  in  accordance  with  divine  prophecy,  the  sound  of  his  in- 
spired evangelists  and  apostles  had  gone  throughout  all  the  earth, 
and  their  words  to  the  end  of  the  world.  Throughout  every  city  and 
village,  like  a  replenished  barn  floor,  churches  were  rapidly  found 
abounding,  and  filled  with  members  from  every  people.  Those  who, 
in  consequence  of  the  delusions  that  had  descended  to  them  from 
their  ancestors,  had  been  fettered  by  the  ancient  disease  of  idolatrous 
superstition,  were  now  liberated  by  the  power  of  Christ,  through  the 
teaching  and  miracles  of  his  messengers.  And  as  if  delivered  from 
dreadful  masters,  and  emancipated  from  the  most  cruel  bondage,  on 
the  one  hand  renounced  the  whole  multitude  of  gods  and  demons, 
and  on  the  other,  confessed  that  there  was  only  one  true  God,  the 
Creator  of  all  things.  This  same  God  they  now  also  honored  with 
the  rites  of  a  true  piety,  under  the  influence  of  that  inspired  and 
reasonable  worship  which  had  been  planted  among  men  by  our 
Saviour.i 

Every  believer  in  early  times  proclaimed  the  gospel 
wherever  men  would  listen. 

When  Gideon's  three  hundred  warriors  extended  a  slender 
line  around  the  hosts  of  Midian  at  midnight,  and  blew  their 
trumpets,  broke  their  pitchers,  and  exhibited  their  lamps,  the 

1  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  II.,  cap.  3. 


24  ANCIENT   BRITISH    AND    IRISH    CHURCHES. 

Lord  set  every  man's  sword  against  bis  fellow,  and  the  host 
fled,  completely  routed.  So  the  early  soldiers  of  the  cross, 
defying  death  in  its  most  violent  forms,  and  deeply  moved  by 
the  hopeless  condition  of  the  nations  enveloped  in  idolatrous 
darkness,  formed  a  girdle  of  redeemed  sentinels,  as  extended 
as  their  numbers  permitted,  outside  the  doomed  myriads, 
and  blew  their  Scripture  trumpets,  pealing  forth  the  solemn 
warning :  "  There  is  no  man  that  liveth  and  sinneth  not " ; 
"  The  soul  that  sinneth  it  shall  die "  ;  and  showing  their 
lamps  of  hope  on  which  were  painted  in  divine  words,  "  God 
is  love  " ;  "  Believe  upon  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt 
be  saved."  Then  the  Holy  Spirit  fell  in  more  than  pente- 
costal  power,  turning  pagans  in  teeming  multitudes  to  Christ 
and  his  cross,  and  setting  their  weapons  upon  their  idols. 
Such  efforts  Christianized  the  ancestors  of  all  the  present 
great  nations  of  the  world ;  and  if  persisted  in,  they  would 
long  since  have  made  the  entire  earth  a  temple,  and  every 
human  heart  an  altar,  bearing  for  God  a  sacrifice  of  "  sweet 
savor."  By  these  means,  the  whole  of  South  Britain  was 
brought  to  the  Saviour  without  a  historical  trace  of  any 
great  missionary  leader. 


CHAPTER  III. 

CHRISTIANITY   AMONG   THE  ANCIENT   BRITONS   DURING    THE 
FIRST   FOUR   CENTURIES. 

Pomponia  Graecina — Date  of  the  introduction  of  the  gospel — Origen, 
Eusebius,  Theodoret — St.  Martin's  church  of  Canterbury — The 
Diocletian  persecution — Testimonies  to  Christian  worth— Alban 
and  other  martyrs — Galerius  stops  the  persecution— Churches 
rebuilt — Great  prosperity. 

There  is  reason  for  believing  that  Pomponia  Graecina, 
the  wife  of  Aulus  Plautius,  the  victorious  lieutenant  of 
Claudius,  in  Britain,  about  the  years  A.  d.  43-47,  was  a 
Christian.  The  account  given  of  her  religion  and  conduct 
by  Tacitus  ^  makes  it  almost  certain  that  she  believed  in  Christ. 
She  was  probably  with  her  husband  during  a  part  of  the 
time  in  which  he  ruled  Britain.  The  want  of  evidence  to 
prove  the  Christianity  of  others,  who  had  some  connection 
with  Britain  in  the  first  century,  constrains  us  to  be  silent 
about  them. 

Gildas,  the  Briton,  writing  in  the  sixth  century,  fixes  the 
date  of  the  introduction  of  the  gospel  into  Briton  as  subse- 
quent to  the  defeat  of  the  Britons  under  Boadicea  by  Sueton- 
ius Paulinus.  After  describing  the  crushing  overthrow  of 
the  Britons,  he  says : 

Meanwhile  {interea)  these  islands,  stiff  with  cold  and  frost,  and 
.  .  .  remote  from  the  visible  sun,  received  the  beams  of  light,  that 
is,  the  holy  precepts  of  Christ,  the  true  Sun,  showing  to  the  world 
his  splendor  .  .  at  the  latter  part,  as  we  know,  of  the  reign  of 
Tiberias  Caesar,  by  whom  his  religion  was  propagated  without  impedi- 
ment, and  death  threatened  to  those  who  interfered  with  its  profes- 
sors.*   

1  "  Tacit.  Annal.,"  Lib.  XIII.,  cap.  32. 

2  "  Works  of  Gildas,"  Sec.  8,  7,  8. 

O  26 


26  ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH    CHURCHES. 

That  is  to  say,  toward  the  close  of  the  reign  of  Tiberias, 
about  A.  L>.  63,  the  gospel  sent  its  beams  of  light  into  the 
British  Islands,  Gildas  also  informs  us  that  its  rays  of  light 
produced  fruits  that  lived  in  Christian  hearts  until  the 
ferocious  persecution  of  Diocletian.  This  testimony  is  worthy 
of  confidence.  Tertullian,  a  distinguished  writer  of  the  second 
century  and  the  early  part  of  the  third,  in  a  little  work  writ- 
ten against  the  Jews,  says  : 

In  whom  other  than  in  the  Christ,  who  has  already  come,  do  all 
the  nations  believe?  For  in  him  have  believed  the  most  diverse  peo- 
ples: Parthians,  JVIedes,  Elamites;  those  who  inhabit  Mesopotamia, 
Armenia,  Phrj-gia,  Cappadocia ;  the  dwellers  in  Pontus,  Asia,  and 
Pamphylia;  those  occupying  Egypt,  and  inhabiting  the  region  of 
Africa  beyond  Cyrene,  Romans  and  natives,  even  Jews  dwelling  in 
Jerusalem,  and  other  nations ;  nay,  the  different  tribes  of  the  Getu- 
lians,  and  many  territories  of  the  Moors,  all  parts  of  Spain,  the  differ- 
ent peoples  of  Gaul,  and  parts  of  Britain  not  reached  b^^  the  Romans 
but  subjugated  to  Christ.  .  .  In  all  these  the  name  of  the  Christ,  who 
has  already  come,  reigns.^ 

He  does  not  say  that  Jesus  reigns  over  all  in  every  one  of 
the  races  of  which  he  writes,  but  simply  over  some  believing 
souls  in  each  one  of  them.  Tertullian  had  ready  access 
through  Carthage  to  Rome,  the  centre  of  intelligence  in  his 
day  for  the  world  ;  and  in  it  he  could  find  correct  news  about 
Christianity  in  Britain,  even  among  the  warlike  Picts  beyond 
the  Roman  wall.  Our  quotation  announces  a  miracle,  that 
the  lowly  apostles  of  Jesus,  one  hundred  and  sixty  years  after 
bis  death  should,  by  themselves  or  others,  have  carried  his 
gospel  into  such  a  list  of  countries,  and  that  some  of  all  the 
nations  and  tribes  he  names,  and  many  in  not  a  few  of  them, 
should  receive  the  Saviour,  is  one  of  the  greatest  marvels  in 
the  whole  range  of  extraordinary  events. 

If  Tertullian  were  to  rise  from  the  dead  for  a  time  in  our 
day,  and  become  acquainted  with  the  boundless  resources — 
financial,  intellectual,  numerical,  and  governmental — of 
the  Christian  churches;  and  if  he  were  also  to  learn   the 

1  "  Adv.  Judaeos,"  cap.  VII.,  part  IV.,  p.  303.    Lipsiae,  1841. 


THE   FIEST   FOUR   CENTURIES.  27 

situation  of  the  one  thousand  million  or  more  pagans 
and  Mohammedans,  not  to  speak  of  others ;  and  of  the 
comparatively  insignificant  efforts  employed  for  their  sal- 
vation, it  is  not  improbable  that  Tertullian  would  resume  for 
the  occasion  the  legal  practice,  which  he  abandoned  for  the 
ministry,  and  frame  an  "  indictment "  against  the  evangelical 
Christians  of  the  world  for  not  giving  labor,  love,  money, 
earnest  prayers  and,  when  necessary,  sufferings,  equal  to  the 
believers  of  his  day,  that  we  might  enjoy  similar  successes. 
We  can  readily  conceive  this  severe  advocate  and  faithful 
minister,  reading  to  us  his  record  of  triumphs  as  an  "accusa- 
tion," and  indignantly  saying :  "This  is  what  we  and  our 
fathers  have  done;  what  have  you  and  your  predecessors, 
w^ith  far  superior  resources,  accomplished  in  the  same  space 
of  time?" 

Origen  was  born  in  Alexandria,  in  A.  d.  185,  and  died  in 
Tyre,  A.  d.  254.  He  was  the  equal  of  any  man  in  his  day  in 
genial  literary  and  scientific  culture,  and  unequalled  as  a 
biblical  scholar.  No  portion  of  the  believing  family  on 
earth  could  be  long  hidden  from  him.  He  writes :  "  When 
did  Britain  previous  to  the  coming  of  Christ  agree  to  worship 
the  one  God  ?  When  the  Moors  ?  When  the  whole  world  ? 
Now,  however,  through  the  church,  all  men  call  upon  the 
God  of  Israel."  ^  "  The  influence  of  the  gospel  and  the 
power  of  the  Saviour's  kingdom,  have  reached  as  far  as 
Britain,  which  seemed  to  be  in  another  division  of  the 
world."  ' 

Eusebius  was  born  about  A.  d.  270,  in  Csesarea.  He  had 
the  most  ample  means  of  securing  full  and  exact  information 
of  any  man  in  his  day  in  the  vast  empire  of  Kome.  His 
history  is  still  an  authority  among  Christian  scholars.  He 
says : 

If  they,  the  apostles,  were  seducers  and  deceivers,  they  were  at  the 
same  time  men  of  no  education  ;  belonging  entirely  to  the  common 

1  "  Fourth  Homily  on  Ezekiel."  ^  "  sixth  Homily  on  Luke." 


28  ANCIENT   BRrTISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

people,  nay,  one  might  almost  say  barbarians,  and  knowing  no 
language  but  that  of  the  Syrians,  how  then  did  they  come  to 
advance  through  the  whole  world?  .  .  .  That  some  of  them  should 
take  possession  of  Rome  itself,  the  head  and  queen  of  cities,  that 
others  should  occupy  the  kingdom  of  the  Persians,  others  the  king- 
dom of  the  Armenians,  others  that  of  the  Parthians,  others  even  that 
of  the  Scythians ;  that  some  should  have  penetrated  to  the  ends  of 
the  earth,  and  the  country  of  the  Indians;  a7id  others  should  have 
crossed  the  ocean  to  those  islayids  called  British;  such  things  I  will 
not  believe  to  be  according  to  man,  through  man  only.^ 

Theodoret,  bishop  of  Cyprus,  was  born  at  Antioch,  in  a.  d. 
386.  His  ecclesiastical  history  is  very  valuable.  He  writes 
of  the  first  heralds  of  the  cross :  "  These,  our  fishermen,  pub- 
licans, tent-makers,  persuaded  not  only  the  Romans  and  their 
subjects,  but  also  the  Scythians,  Sauromatse,  Indians,  Persians, 
Serge,  Hyrcanians,  Britons,  Cimmerians,  and  Germans  to  em- 
brace the  religion  of  him  who  had  been  crucified."  ^ 

The  Christians  of  Britain  enjoyed  a  large  measure  of  pros- 
perity before  the  persecution  of  Diocletian  burst  upon  them. 
Many  of  their  countrymen  had  adopted  the  dress  and*  cus- 
toms of  Rome  long  before  that.  Numbers  of  the  houses  of 
the  wealthy  were  built  of  Roman  brick.  Is  there  any  reason 
to  doubt  that  most  of  their  churches  were  constructed  of  the 
same  material.  Old  St.  Martin's  Church,  of  Canterbury, 
England,  is  a  building  existing  from  remote  antiquity.  Its 
present  walls  are  chiefly  composed  of  Roman  brick,  and  as 
Dean  Stanley  says,  "  May  possibly  retain  in  them  some  of 
the  original  bricks  of  Queen  Bertha's  chapel."^  This  had 
been  used  by  the  Britons  as  a  place  of  worship.  The  legen- 
dary founder  of  the  church  was  King  Lucius,  who  lived  in 
the  latter  half  of  the  second  century.  From  this  we  learn 
that  the  original  church  called  St.  Martin's  by  Bertha  and 
her  French  friends,  was  extremely  old  when  the  Anglo-Saxons 
came  into  Britain  in  the  middle  of  the  fifth  century. 

1 "  Evangel.  Demonst.,"  Lib,  III.,  cap.  7. 

a  Torn.  IV.,  Serra.  9.,  p.  610. 

3  "  Historical  Memorials  of  Canterbury,"  pp.  ]4, 15.    London,  1855. 


THE   FIRST   FOUR   CENTURIES.  29 

Speaking  of  the  period  just  before  the  persecution  of  Dio- 
cletian began,  and  of  the  Christian  religion  everywhere, 
Eusebius  says : 

Who  can  describe  the  vast  collections  of  men  that  flocked  to 
the  religion  of  Christ,  and  the  multitudes  crowding  in  from 
every  city,  and  the  illustrious  concourse  in  the  houses  of  worship, 
on  whose  account,  not  content  with  the  ancient  buildings,  they 
erected  spacious  churches  from  the  foundations  in  all  the  cities. ^ 

What  was  true  of  Christian  prosperity  generally  was  true 
of  British  disciples  especially  ;  for  a  few  years  after  the  per- 
secution they  came  forth  as  an  influential,  well-ordered  body, 
prepared  to  take  a  respectable  place  in  a  great  ecclesiastical 
council  in  Gaul. 

Diocletian,  in  the  early  part  of  his  reign,  was  favorably 
disposed  to  the  toleration  of  Christians.  His  wife  and 
daughter,  the  Empresses  Prisca  and  Valeria,  as  Eusebius 
writes,  favored,  if  they  did  not  adopt,  the  Christian  faith. 
Christians  were  made  governors  of  provinces,  and  freed  from 
all  anxiety  about  sacrificing  to  the  gods.  The  rulers  of  the 
churches  were  courted  and  honored  with  the  greatest  subser- 
viency by  all  the  rulers  and  governors.  But  suddenly  the 
storm  broke  upon  the  unsuspecting  Christians  with  savage 
fury,  in  edicts  written,  says  Eusebius,  with  "a  dagger's 
point,"  '^  which  required  the  destruction  of  the  churches,  the 
burning  of  the  Scriptures,  and  ultimately,  the  apostasy  or 
murder  of  the  entire  Christian  family. 

These  decrees  were  not  fully  executed  in  Britain.  Euse- 
bius states  ^  that  they  were  only  carried  out  in  it  for  two  years, 
while  in  the  East  they  were  enforced  for  ten  years.  During 
this  fierce  visitation  of  imperial  hatred  to  Christ's  truth  and 
his  friends,  Constantius  gave  some  protection  to  godly  Britons. 
Gildas,  the  venerable  British  historian,  writes  of  Diocletian  s 
persecution : 

1  "Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  VIII.,  cap.  1. 
*  "  Vit.  Constant.,"  Lib.  XL,  cap  51. 
3  "  De  Marty  rol.  Pal.,"  cap.  13. 


30  ANCIENT   BRITISH    AND   IRISH    CHURCHES. 

The  churches,  throughout  the  whole  world,  were  overthrown,  all 
the  copies  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  which  could  be  found  were  burned 
in  the  streets,  and  the  chosen  pastors  of  God's  flock  were  butchered, 
together  with  their  innocent  sheep.  God  magnified  his  mercy  toward 
us,  as  we  know,  during  the  above  named  persecution,  that  Britain 
might  not  be  totally  enveloped  in  the  dark  shades  of  night ;  he,  of 
his  own  free  gift,  kindled  among  us  bright  luminaries  of  holy  mar- 
tyrs, whose  places  of  burial  and  martyrdom,  had  they  not  been,  for 
our  manifold  crimes,  interfered  with  and  destroyed  by  the  barba- 
rians, would  have  still  kindled  in  the  minds  of  the  beholders  no  small 
fire  of  divine  charity.  Such  were  St.  Alban  of  Verulam,  Aaron  and 
Julius,  citizens  of  Caerleon,  and  the  rest  of  both  sexes,  who,  in  dif- 
ferent places,  stood  their  ground  in  the  Christian  contest. ^ 

In  Bede's^  account  of  St.  Alban's  martyrdom,  we  learn 
that  while  a  pagan  during  this  fierce  persecution,  Alban  shel- 
tered a  clergyman,  pursued  by  enemies  of  Christ ;  his  contin- 
uance in  prayer,  his  saintly  spirit,  and  his  tidings  about  Jesus, 
led  the  host  to  him,  who  bestowed  a  blessed  hope  upon  him. 
The  clergyman's  enemy  found  the  place  of  his  concealment, 
after  he  had  been  there  several  days,  and  soldiers  came 
to  arrest  him.  When  they  arrived  at  Alban's  house,  he 
put  on  the  long  coat  worn  by  his  guest,  and  was  taken  be- 
fore the  judge  as  the  minister.  The  judge  was  indignant  at 
Alban,  whom  he  knew,  and  commanded  him  to  be  dragged 
to  an  altar  before  him,  and  to  sacrifice  to  the  gods ;  and  he 
also  informed  him  that  because  he  had  defrauded  him  out  of  his 
expected  victim,  he  must  suffer  his  penalty  if  he  intended  to 
renounce  idolatry.  Alban  refused  to  sacrifice  to  the  demons. 
The  judge  then  demanded :  "  Of  what  family  or  race  are 
you  ?  "  "  What  does  it  concern  you  "  answered  Alban,  "  of 
what  stock  I  am  ?  If  you  desire  to  hear  the  truth  of  my  re- 
ligion, be  it  known  to  you  that  I  am  now  a  Christian,  and 
bound  by  Christian  duties."  "  I  ask  your  name,"  said  the 
judge;- "tell  me  it  immediately."  "lam  called  Alban  by 
my  parents,"  replied  he,  "  and  I  worship  and  adore  the  true 
and  living  God,  who  created  all  things."     The  judge,  full  of 

1 "  Works,"  Sec.  9, 10.  ^  <  'Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  I.,  cap.  7. 


THE    FIRST   FOUR   CENTURIES.  31 

anger,  demanded  again  that  he  should  sacrifice  to  the  great 
gods.  Alban  rejoined  :  "  Your  sacrifices  are  offered  to  devils, 
and  are  worthless." 

The  judge  then  ordered  him  to  be  executed.  The  heads- 
man, as  he  led  him  to  the  place  where  he  was  to  suffer,  was 
converted  ;  and  both  were  put  to  death  together.  The  judge 
himself  gave  up  persecution,  and  apparently,  idolatry. 
Though  Britain  escaped  the  violence  of  the  persecution  that 
prevailed  elsewhere,  yet  the  churches  were  torn  down,  the 
sacred  writings  reduced  to  ashes,  and  many  of  the  faith- 
ful, both  men  and  women,  were  slain.^  For  a  time  des- 
olation, weeping,  bereavement,  prevailing  prayers,  and  deep 
gratitude  for  the  sustaining  grace  of  martyrs,  marked  the 
followers  of  Jesus  in  Britain,  and  their  temples  of  worship. 
But  the  reign  of  cruelty  and  wrong  passed  away.  This  per- 
secution was  rather  the  work  of  Galerius  than  of  Diocletian, 
his  father-in-law  and  he  confesses  that  crime  in  the  edict  by 
which  he  ended  the  persecution.  Diocletian  resigned  his  au- 
thority before  it  had  raged  quite  two  years ;  and  Galerius 
had  begun  it  before  the  publication  of  the  edict.  He,  tor- 
tured by  a  foul  disease  whose  cure  defied  human  skill,  and 
feeling  the  keenest  pangs  of  remorse  for  the  woes  he  had  in-' 
flicted  upon  innocent  Christians  all  over  the  world,  issued  a 
decree  ordering  the  cessation  of  all  persecutions  against  Chris- 
tians immediately,  and  commanding  his  ofiScers  to  rebuild 
their  churches,  "  that  they  might  perform  their  accustomed 
devotions,  and  oflTer  up  prayers  for  the  emperor's  safety."  ^  The 
rescript  was  speedily  put  in  execution.  Everywhere  its  tid- 
ings were  heard  ;  and,  like  the  jubilee  trumpets  of  Israel,  the 
enslaved  in  the  mines,  the  exiled  who  fled  to  strange  coun- 
tries, those  who  were  concealed  in  catacombs,  or  hidden  in 
dens  and  caves  of  the  earth,  and  armies  of  prisoners  awaiting 
the  execution  of  frightful  sentences,  came  forth  to  pray  for 


1  Fox's  •'  Acts  and  Monuments,"  I.,  25,  90.     London,  1841. 

2  Eusebius,    "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  VIIL,  cap.  17. 


32  ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

the  monster  in  agonies,  who  had  bathed  so  many  countries  in 
the  blood  of  saints.  In  Britain,  Gildas  tells  us,  those  who 
were  hidden  in  woods  and  deserts  and  secret  caves,  waiting 
until  God  would  give  them  protection,  came  forth ;  and  as 
the  bloody  decrees  expired,  all  Christ's  young  disciples,  after 
the  long  wintry  night  of  flight  and  anguish,  walked  forth  in 
the  joyful  light  of  heavenly  freedom.^  "  They  rebuilt  the 
churches,  which  had  been  leveled  to  the  ground ;  they  founded, 
erected,  and  completed  churches  to  the  holy  martyrs,  and 
showed  their  ensigns  as  tokens  of  this  victory  ;  festivals  were 
celebrated,  and  sacraments  received  with  clean  hearts  and  lips, 
and  all  the  church's  sons  rejoiced  as  it  were  in  the  fostering 
bosom  of  a  mother."  And  this  holy  union  between  Christ  the 
Head  and  the  members  of  his  churches,  proved  a  great  bless- 
ing for  years.  They  had  received  divine  strength  for  the 
worst  trials  that  ever  threatened  men  ;  their  martyred  brethren 
and  sisters  had  unflinchingly  confessed  Christ  before  thou- 
sands, and  given  the  pagans  stronger  proof  of  the  divinity 
of  the  gospel  than  any  miracle  ever  wrought. 

No  saints  on  earth  were  ever  better  fitted,  by  un world  liness 
and  heavenly  minded ness,  to  secure  converts  for  Christ,  than 
these  pious  Britons.  No  heathen  on  earth  were  in  a  better 
condition  to  yield  to  Jesus,  than  their  idolatrous  neighbors. 
They  were  crestfallen  in  view  of  the  complete  overthrow  of 
persecution  of  which  they  were  the  willing  instruments  ;  the 
government,  very  soon  after,  was  permanently  against  them ; 
and  in  their  hearts  they  w^re  compelled  to  confess  that  the 
gospel  was  the  power  of  God  beyond  a  doubt.  This  period 
was  undoubtedly  the  final  harvest  time  for  the  salvation  of 
tlie  South  British  idolaters.  As  these  men  of  prayer  set  out 
to  rebuild  the  churches,  their  songs,  as  well  as  the  dying 
words  of  martyrs,  the  earnest  prayers  of  living  believers  for 
more  converts,  and  the  power  of  the  life-giving  Spirit,  brought 
hundreds,  thousands,  and  at  last,  all  the  Britons  to  Jesus. 


1 "  Works  of  Gildas,"  Sec.  12. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

CHRISTIANITY   AMONG   THE   ANCIENT    BRITONS   DURING  THE 

FIRST  FOUR  CENTURIES  {Continued). 

Constantius  and  Helena  are  married— He  favors  the  Britons— Con- 
stantine  is  born  in  Britain — He  grants  religious  liberty  to  Cliristians 
—British  bishops  at  the  council  of  Aries— Pope  Sylvester  and  the 
council — Arianism  in  Britain— British  bishops  at  the  councils  of 
Sardica  and  Ariminum- Hilary  of  Poictiers  and  the  bishops  of 
Britain— Jerome  and  British  pilgrims  to  Palestine— Theodoret  and 
British  pilgrims— At  the  close  of  the  fourth  century  the  gospel  had 
subdued  all  Britain  from  Dumbarton  southward— Paganism  was 
still  in  France. 

Constantius,  a  Roman  ruler  of  Britain,  was  married  to 
Helena,  a  native  of  that  country.      Her  father  was  probably 
a  hotel  keeper,  who  had  a  tavern  on  one  of  the  great  Roman 
roads  in  Britain.  -While  acting  as  his  hostelress '— stabularia 
—she  attracted  the  regard  of  Constantius  and  he  made  her  his 
wife.     From  this  lowly  position  she  became  the  consort  of  an 
emperor,  and  the  mother  of  Constantine  the  Great.     She  was 
a  devoted  Christian,  and  tliere  is  some  reason  for  supposing 
that  she  exerted  an  influence  over  both  husband  and  son  in 
favor  of  Christians,  which  prompted  them  to  the  toleration 
of  their  opinions.     In  A.  d.   303,  when  persecution  reached 
Britain,  Constantius  was  only  a  Csesar.     He  was  obliged  to 
execute  the  orders  of  Diocletian  and  Maximianus,  each  of 
whom  bore  the  title  of   Augustus— supreme  emperor.      In 
this  subordinate  position  he  could  not  hinder  the  execution 
of  the  fiendish  mandates  of  the  Augusti ;  but  when,  m  A.  d. 
305,  be  became  Augustus,  with   Spain,  Gaul,  and  Britam 
under   his  independent  jurisdiction,  the  Christians  enjoyecl 
liberty  of  conscience.     ConstantineJheGreat^rites  CoHier,^ 

rGibbon,  Vol.  I.,  p.  237.     McGowan,  London, 
a  "  Eccles.  Hist..''  Vol.  I  .  P-  56.     London,  1840. 

33 


34  ANCIENT   BRITISH    AND   IRISH    CHURCHES. 

is  said  to  have  been  born  in  Britain,  not  only  by  our  English 
historians,  but  by  the  generality  of  others.  At  the  death  of 
his  father  in  York,  in  a.  d.  306,  the  first  thing  he  did  after 
being  appointed  Caesar  by  the  army  was  "  to  give  the  Chris- 
tians the  free  exercise  of  their  religion."  ^  In  A.  d.  312, 
after  a  battle  fought  at  the  Milvian  bridge,  near  Kome,  Con- 
stantine  the  Great,  joined  by  Licinius,  issued  a  decree,  giving 
full  liberty  to  the  Christians  to  live  according  to  their  own 
laws.  This  decree  was  re-issued  the  next  year  at  Milan,  re- 
moving some  hindrances  to  the  spread  of  Christianity  which 
existed  in  it  at  first,  and  bestowing  the  protection  of  the 
emperor  upon  all  Christians.  This  sovereign,  born  of  a 
British  mother,  and  most  likely  in  Britain,  made  Caesar  in 
that  country  where  his  father  reigned  and  died,  gave  the 
boon  of  religious  liberty  in  a  public  law  to  all  the  nations  of 
the  mighty  Roman  Empire. 

In  A.  D.  314,  the  council  of  Aries,  in  France,  was  held.  It 
was  not  summoned  by  the  pope,  though  not  so  far  from  Rome, 
but  by  the  Emperor  Constantine.  The  business  for  which  it 
was  convened  was  to  decide  a  controversy  which  agitated  cer- 
tain ecclesiastics  in  North  Africa  about  the  election  of  a 
bishop  to  the  see  of  Carthage,  and  which  a  council  at  Rome, 
the  previous  year,  was  unable  to  settle.  Other  matters,  how- 
ever, occupied  a  considerable  part  of  the  deliberations  of  the 
council.  There  were  present  at  it  three  British  bishops,  most 
likely  to  represent  a  large  number  of  bishops  and  churches, 
as  the  bishops  of  Britain  were  quite  numerous.  The  names 
of  the  bishops  were  Eborius,  Restitutus,  and  Adelfius,  from 
York,  London,  and  Cserleon.  From  the  presence  of  these 
bishops  we  are  justified  in  the  inference  that  the  British 
churches  were  in  a  settled  and  prosperous  condition,  which 
made  their  opinions  of  some  value  in  an  influential  Galilean 
council  convoked  by  the  emperor.  Du  Pin  says : 

The  bishops  wrote  to  Sylvester,  bishop  of  Rome,  as  the  chief  bishop 


1  Stillingfleet's  "Antiquities  of  the  British  Churches,"  p.  75.    London,  1840. 


THE   FIRST   FOUR   CENTURIES.  35 

of  the  world  [bishop  of  its  chief  cit3^]  an  account  of  everything  that 
they  had  ordained,  that  he  might  publish  these  canons  throughout 
the  Cat-holic  church.  They  assure  him  that  they  were  very  sorry 
that  he  could  not  be  present  himself  in  person  at  the  council,  and 
they  pray  him  to  publish  their  decisions  over  all  the  world. ^ 

According  to  the  custom  of  Gallic  councils  then  and  much 
later,  the  bishop  of  Aries  asked  the  pope,  because  he  was  in 
a  city  which  was  the  centre  of  correspondence  with  all 
nations,  not  to  confirm  the  decrees  of  the  council,  but  to  com- 
municate them  throughout  the  church  universal,  as  the 
emperor  sent  his  edicts  to  the  commander  of  the  praetorian 
band,  his  special  military  agency,  to  give  them  general  pub- 
licity. 

The  great  council  of  Trent,  which  opened  in  1545  and 
adjourned  finally  in  1563,  was  dependent  for  the  confirmation 
of  its  decrees  upon  the  bull  of  Pope  Pius  IV.,  in  which  we 
read : 

The  help  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  first  place  being  invoked,  as  we 
found  all  these  Catholic  decrees  to  be  salutary  and  useful  for  Chris- 
tian people,  by  the  advice  and  assent,  in  our  secret  consistory,  of  the 
same  brethren  of  ours  (the  cardinals),  we  confirm  them  each  and  all 
this  day  by  apostolic  authority;  and  we  order  that  they  be  received 
and  obeyed  by  all  the  faithful  of  Christ.^ 

Gildas  urges  a  serious  charge  of  heresy  against  the  Britons : 

The  Arian  treason,  fatal  as  a  serpent,  and  vomiting  its  poison  from 
beyond  the  sea,  caused  deadly  dissension  between  brothers  inhabiting 
the  same  house,  and  thus,  as  if  a  road  were  made  across  the  sea,  like 
wild  beasts  of  all  descriptions  darting  the  poison  of  every  heresy 
from  their  jaws,  they  inflicted  dreadful  wounds  upon  their  country.' 

Bede  speaks  of  the  Arian  madness  which,  having  corrupted 
the  whole  world,  infected  Britain  also,  so  far  removed  from 
the  rest  of  the  globe,  with  the  poison  of  its  arrows. 

Arius  first  broached  his  peculiar  doctrines  in  Alexandria, 
in  Egypt,  about  A.  d.  317 ;  there,  in  opposition  to  the  opin- 
ions of  Alexander,  his  bishop,  he  taught  that  the  Son  is  only 


1  Du  Pin's  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Vol.  T  ,  pp  595,  .596.   Dublin. 

8  "  Canones  Et  Decreta  Concilii  Tridentini,"  p.  219.    Lipsise,  1863. 

3  "  Works."  Sec.  12. 


36  ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH    CHURCHEg. 

the  first  and  noblest  of  those  created  beings  whom  God  the 
Father  formed  out  of  nothing ;  and  that  he  was  inferior  to 
the  Father  both  in  nature  and  in  dignity.  His  doctrines 
secured  such  an  extensive  adoption,  that  a  commotion  was 
excited  throughout  the  entire  East,  and  Constantine  the 
Great  felt  constrained  to  summon  the  celebrated  council  of 
Nice,  in  a.  d.  325,  to  settle  a  controversy  that  threatened  the 
peace  of  Christendom.  The  council  decided  against  the 
opinions  of  Arius,  and  for  a  time  he  was  sent  into  exile  in 
Illyricum.  But  under  Constantius,  emperor  of  the  East,  the 
son  of  Constantine,  who  was  a  warm  friend  of  Arianism,  that 
system  flourished  in  a  greater  measure  than  ever,  and  between 
it  and  orthodoxy,  especially  after  the  death  of  Constans, 
when  a  large  part  of  the  West,  including  Kome  and  Italy, 
was  added  to  the  dominions  of  Constantius,  there  were 
frequent  conflicts  threatening  the  peace  of  the  whole  Chris- 
tian world.  If  Arianism  entered  Britain  before  the  council 
of  Nice,  or  during  the  reign  of  Constantius,  it  could  hardly 
fail  to  create  dissension,  and  even  angry  strife ;  not  because 
of  anything  especially  belligerent  in  it,  but  because  it 
appeared  to  its  opponents  as  an  intruder,  hitherto  unknown, 
seeking  to  displace  the  most  glorious  of  truths.  It  must  have 
had  a  short  life ;  we  hear  little  of  it  during  the  w^arfare  upon 
Pelagianism  in  the  first  half  of  the  fifth  century. 

In  A.  D.  347,  the  emperors  Constantius  and  Constans  called 
a  council  to  meet  at  Sardica,  in  Bulgaria,  to  which  one  hun- 
dred bishops  came  from  the  West,  and  seventy-three  from  the 
East,  who  withdrew  from  the  council  because  the  western 
bishops  refused  to  exclude  Athanasius,  Marcellus,  and  other 
condemned  bishops.  Hosius,  of  Cordova,  presided  over  the 
council.  The  retirement  of  the  Eastern  bishops  put  it  in  the 
position  of  a  provincial  council  in  reference  to  authority,  as 
a  general  council  alone  had  a  right  to  make  decrees  and 
canons  binding  upon  all  Christians.  According  to  Stilling- 
fleet,  there  were  British  bishops  in  this  council.^ 

1  "  Antiquities  of  the  British  Churches,"  p.  IZ.    London,  1840. 


THE    FIRST   FOUR   CENTURIES.  37 

CoEstantius  summoned  a  council  to  meet  at  Ariminum, 
A.  D.  350.^  About  four  hundred  bishops  attended  its  meet- 
ing's, for  whose  journey  the  emperor  furnished  conveyances ; 
he  also  provided  money  to  pay  the  expenses  of  those  who 
would  accept  it.  The  Christianity  of  Britain  was  now 
recognized  before  the  world  in  these  councils,  as  having  a 
large  body  of  followers. 

Hilary,  Bishop  of  Poictiers,  a  native  of  Gaul,  to'>k  charge 
of  his  see  in  a.  d.  350,  and  was  for  many  years  the  most 
prominent  Galilean  prelate ;  he  was  largely  instrumental  in 
arresting  the  progress  of  Arianism  in  the  West.  His  twelve 
books  on  the  Trinity  made  him  famous.  He  became  so 
odious  to  the  Arian  bishops  that,  in  A.  d.  356,  they  persuaded 
the  Emperor  Constautius  to  banish  him  to  Phrygia.  In  this 
province  he  wrote  his  work  "  On  Councils,"  in  the  beginning 
of  which  "  he  salutes  the  bishops  of  Britain  among  the  rest  of 
the  prelates  of  Christendom,  and  complains  a  little  that  the 
distance  of  place  and  the  disadvantages  of  his  banishment 
had  forbidden  him  the  satisfaction  of  receiving  frequent 
letters  from  them.  After  this  complaint,  he  congratulates 
them  upon  their  orthodoxy,  and  that  they  had  preserved 
themselves  all  along  from  heretical  infection."  ''  From  this 
we  see  that  British  bishops  and  their  churches  were  accorded 
equal  prominence  with  their  brethren  in  other  lands  in  the 
middle  of  the  fourth  century. 

Christians  became  so  numerous  in  Britain  toward  the  close 
of  the  fourth  century  that  they  set  out  in  considerable  num- 
bers as  pilgrims  to  Palestine,  confident  that  their  brethren  at 
home  were  sufiiciently  numerous  now  to  protect  their  pro- 
perty, and  guard  every  precious  interest  of  the  Saviour's 
cause  in  their  dear  native  land  during  their  absence.  Jerome 
in  Palestine  saw  so  many  of  these  pilgrims,  and  heard  of  so 
many  more,   among  whom  Britain  was  largely  represented, 

1  Du  Pin,  Vol.  Im  P-  609. 

2  Collier's  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  85.    London. 


38  ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH    CHURCHES. 

that  he  wrote :  "  The  Briton,  though  separated  from  the  rest 
of  our  world,  when  religion  has  the  ascendancy  leaves  his 
western  sun  in  search  of  a  land  known  to  him  only  by  report 
and  by  Scripture  history."  ^ 

Martin,  bishop  of  Tours,  ordained  in  A.  d.  374,  who  died 
in  A.  D.  397,  shows  in  his  ministry  the  singularly  slow 
progress  of  Christianity  in  France  compared  to  its  success  in 
Britain.  This  bishop  was  for  a  long  period  the  most  popular 
ecclesiastic  in  western  Europe.  He  had  been  a  soldier ;  and 
as  a  clergyman,  he  engaged  in  incessant  warfare  against  pagan- 
ism. He  marched  at  the  head  of  a  band  of  devoted  follow- 
ers to  destroy  idols,  temples,  and  consecrated  groves,  making 
numerous  campaigns  in  his  war  against  heathen  shrines  and 
statues.  He  replaced  the  fanes  of  the  gods  with  churches, 
and  converted  many  idolaters  at  the  time  when  Christianity 
was  apparently  completely  triumphant  in  Britain.^ 

1 "  Omnium  Operum,"  Tom  I.,  Ep.  17,  p.  58.    /roben.  Bal.,  1516. 
*  "  De  Vita  Martini,"  cap.  9-17.    Verona,  1741. 


CHAPTER  V. 

CHRISTIANITY   AMONG   THE  ANCIENT   BRITONS   DURING   THE 
FIFTH   AND   SIXTH   CENTURIES. 

Higher  education  under  the  Romans— St.  Patrick  and  Dumbarton- 
Birthplace  of  Pelagius— His  commentaries— His  contributions  to 
the  "Book  of  Armagh"— His  errors— His  love  for  the  Bible- 
Attacks  on  Pelagius— His  heresy  in  Britain— On  the  appeal  of 
orthodox  Britons,  Germanus  and  Lupus  from  Gaul  aid  them— 
They  succeed— The  "hallelujah  victory"  over  Picts  and  Saxons- 
Revival  of  Pelagianism— Its  leaders  banished— Kind  words  of 
Augustine  to  Pelagius. 

Education  has  much  to  do  with  Christianity,  and  espe- 
cially with  the  preparation  of  ministers  for  their  work.  In 
Britain,  under  the  Romans,  as  in  other  provinces  of  the 
empire,  there  was  a  valuable  system  of  public  education.  It 
was  for  the  free  and  superior  classes,  and  it  extended  through- 
out the  dominions  of  Rome.  Each  city  maintained  a  certain 
number  of  professors,  according  to  its  size  and  population, 
who  taught  grammar,  rhetoric,  and  philosophy.  They  were 
appointed  by  the  magistrates,  and  partly  paid  by  municipal 
funds.  Vespasian  first  made  provision  for  salaries  for  pro- 
fessors at  Rome.  The  Antonines  extended  the  system  to  the 
other  cities  of  the  empire.  The  instructors  received  a  salary 
from  the  city,  and  a  small  fixed  sum  from  each  pupil.  They 
were  exempt  from  taxation  and  military  service.  Christians 
were  sometimes  professors  in  these  public  schools.^ 

Julian  the  Apostate  issued  an  edict,  a.  d.  362,  excluding 
Christian  professors  from  these  public  institutions,  and  "  for- 
bidding the  children  of  Christians  from  frequenting  the 
public  schools,  and  from  being  instructed  in  the  writings  of 
the  Greek  poets  and  orators."  ^ 

1  Milman's  "  History  of  Christianity,"  p.  356.    New  York. 

2  Sozomen's  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  V.,  cap.  18. 

39 


40  ANCIENT    BRITISH    AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

There  is  a  decree  of  the  Emperor  Gratian,  who  reigned 
from  A.  D.  375  to  A.  d.  383,  in  the  "  Theodosian  Code," 
requiring  all  the  chief  cities  of  these  parts  of  the  Roman 
Empire — Gaid — to  settle  and  maintain  in  them  professors  of 
the  learning  of  both  the  Greek  and  Roman  languages. 
Britain  was  a  part  of  the  "  diocese  "  of  the  imperial  governor 
of  the  Gauls,  and  undoubtedly  was  included  in  Gratian's 
decree.  But  even  Gratian's  decree  was  but  a  renewal  of  the 
edicts  of  the  Antonines.  By  virtue  of  Gratian's  edict,  says 
Bishop  Stillingfleet : 

We  are  to  search  for  the  ancient  schools  of  learning  among  the 
Britons  in  the  chief  cities  of  the  provinces  of  that  time,  especially  at 
London,  which  was  the  head  of  the  nation,  and  at  York,  and  Cser- 
leon.  So  that  the  British  churches,  as  long  as  the  Roman  power 
remained  here,  had  the  same  advantages  for  learning  which  the3' 
had  in  other  Roman  provinces.  But  when  the  Roman  forces  were 
withdrawn,  and  nothing  but  miseries  and  desolation  followed,  then 
St.  German's  care  proved  a  most  seasonable  relief  in  providing  such 
schools  as  those  of  Dubricius  and  Iltutus,  for  the  training  of  persons 
qualified  for  the  service  of  the  church.  ^ 

By  virtue  of  the  decrees  of  the  Antonines,  who  reigned 
from  A.  D.  138  to  A.  d.  180,  if  we  had  ancient  British  writings 
we  might  find  schools  of  learning  also  in  Britain,  not  only 
from  the  time  of  Gratian,  but  from  the  Antonines,  who 
created  them  in  all  the  provinces  of  the  empire.  But  these 
works  of  an  early  day  are  not  now  known  to  exist,  except  in 
one  case. 

St.  Patrick  is  the  only  ancient  British  writer  before  Gild  as 
whose  works  survive.  He  was  born  in  the  Roman-British 
kingdom  of  Strath clyde,  perhaps  about  A.  d.  360.  Late  in 
life  he  wrote  his  celebrated  "  Confession,"  in  which,  apologiz- 
ing for  his  poor  Latin,  he  says : 

I  thought  of  writing  long  ago,  but  I  hesitated  even  until  now, 
because  I  feared  to  fall  under  the  censure  of  men  ;  for  I  have  not 
read  like  others,  who  being  taught  in  the  best  way,  therefore  rightly, 
both  drank  iyi  the  custoynary  learning  in  a  proper  manner  and  have 
never  changed  their  language  from  childhood. 

1 "  Antiquities  of  the  British  Churches,"  p.  220.    London,  1840. 


THE    FIFTH   AND   SIXTH   CENTUKIES.  41 

Patrick  refers  to  the  Irish  raiders  who  carried  him  from 
his  home  and  school  and  hindered  his  educational  success ; 
and  he  speaks  very  positively  about  the  great  advantages  of 
others,  presumably  his  school  companions,  who  were  permitted 
to  pursue  their  studies,  were  taught  in  the  best  way,  and 
drank  in  the  prescribed  literature  in  a  proper  manner.  His 
apology  for  his  poor  Latin  contains  an  unintentional  testimony 
to  the  superior  instruction  of  the  Roman  schools  of  Dumbar- 
ton. 

Under  the  Romans  there  were  ninety-two  cities  in  Britain, 
thirty-three  of  which  were  "conspicuous  and  celebrated." 
Two  of  these  were  "  municipal "  ;  nine,  "  colonial "  ;  ten 
under  the  "  Latian  law,"  and  twelve,  "  stipendiary."  ^  Each 
of  these  classes  had  special  privileges,  and  probably  the 
entire  thirty-three  cities,  and  even  more,  had  Roman  schools. 
Dumbarton  was  under  the  Latian  law,  and  had  St.  Patrick's 
father  as  a  decurion,  or  member  of  its  city  council. 

Pelagius  was  a  Briton,  according:  to  the  most  trustworthy 
evidence.  His  British  name,  Morgan,  signified  sea-born  ;  his 
Greek  name,  Pelagius,  denotes  one  living  by  the  side  of  the  sea, 
or  coming  from  it.  Pelagius  was  not  a  native  of  Brittany, 
in  France.  Armorica  was  not  called  Brittany  until  the  sixth 
century,  when  Britons  fleeing  from  Anglo-Saxon  victories 
found  a  refuge  there,  and  gave  it  its  name.^  Pelagius  was 
neither  an  abbot  nor  a  monk  of  Bangor.     Bingham  writes : 

Some  say  Pelagius  first  brought  the  monastic  life  out  of  the  East 
into  Britain  ;  others  make  him  abbot  also  of  the  college  of  Bangor, 
and  speak  of  two  thousand  monks  under  him  ;  but  this  is  justly  cen- 
sured by  learned  men  as  a  mere  fable  of  modern  authors.' 

It  was  somewhat  later  than  the  residence  of  Pelagius  in 
his  native  country  before  there  were  any  monasteries  in 
Britain.  Pelagius  was  a  monk  of  a  class  that  existed  in  his 
time.     These  led  stricter  lives  than  others  within  their  own 

1  Richard  of  Cirencester,  "Six  Old  English  Chronicles,"  pp.  456,  457. 

'  Gibbon's  "  Decline  and  Fall,"  Vol.  II.,  474.    McGowan,  London. 

^Bingham's  "  Antiquities  of  the  Christian  Church,"  Book  VII.,  chap.  11,  sec.  3. 


42  ANCIENT  BRITISH  AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

houses ;  retiring  from  the  common  employments  of  the  world 
for  sacred  studies  and  prayer,  their  chief  occupation  next  to 
their  devotions,  was  the  study  of  the  Scriptures,  while  some 
grave  person  instructed  the  disciples  in  the  holy  word.  This 
was  the  chosen  office  of  Pelagius,  in  Rome,  which  led  him  to 
publish  his  commentary  on  Paul's  epistles  in  that  city,  about 
A.  D.  404^ 

This  work,  with  some  parts  of  it  mutilated  to  remove  his 
errors,  is  still  in  existence,  and  much  the  larger  portion  of  it 
is  unusually  valuable.  Its  authorship  has  been  credited  to 
Jerome,  and  it  is  often  printed  in  old  editions  of  his  works. 
Bishop  Lightfoot  says : 

The  notes  of  Pelagius  are  pointed  and  good,  but  meagre.  The 
high  estimation  in  which  they  were  held,  in  spite  of  the  cloud  which 
hung  over  their  author,  and  the  fact  of  their  being  attributed  to 
Gelasius  and  to  Jerome,  are  high  testimonies  to  their  merits.^ 

Pelagius  was  an  eminent  scholar  for  his  day,  educated  most 
probably  in  British  schools.  In  a  council  held  in  Jerusalem, 
in  A.  D.  415,  where  he  was  accused  by  Orosius,  a  Spanish 
presbyter,  sent  by  Augustine  for  the  purpose,  Pelagius 
addressed  the  council  in  Greek,  the  vernacular  of  its  mem- 
bers, which  Orosius  was  unable  to  do.'  Neander  says : 
"Pelagius  had  not  the  profound  speculative  spirit  which 
we  find  in  Augustine  ...  In  learning  he  was  Augustine's 
superior."  * 

The  "  Book  of  Armagh/'  ^  at  present  in  Trinity  College,  Dub- 
lin, Ireland,  was  transcribed  from  a  manuscript,  then  becom- 
ing obscure,  in  A.  d.  807.  This  remarkable  work  is  ten  hun- 
dred and  eighty-six  years  old.  It  contains  all  the  books  of 
the  New  Testament,  with  Jerome's  preface  to  his  version  of 
the  four  Gospels ;  and  also  Pelagms'  ®  preface  to  the  Epistles, 

1  Stillingfleet's  "  Antiquities  of  the  British  Churches,"  pp.  188-190. 

2  Lightfoot  "  On  the  Galatians,"  p.  233.    Sixth  ed, 

3"  The  Holy  Scriptures  in  Ireland  One  Thousand  Years  Ago,"  p.  120. 

*"  History  of  the  Christian  Church,"  Vol.  II.,  pp.  573,  574. 

6  "  Government  Tripartite  Life,"  Pref.  94. 

•  "  The  Holy  Scriptures  in  Ireland  One  Thousand  Years  Ago,"  p.  120. 


THE   FIFTH   AND   SIXTH   CENTURIES.  43 

as  well  as  a  separate  preface  from  him  to  each  epistle.  Irish 
Christians  never  had  any  regard  for  the  heresy  of  Pelagius,  but 
they  had,  in  the  centuries  immediately  after  their  conversion, 
much  admiration  for  his  commentaries. 

Collier  gives  the  following  list  of  the  errors  of  Pelagius  : 

That  Adam  had  mortality  in  his  nature,  and  whether  or  not  he  had 
sinned,  he  would  certainly  have  died;  that  the  consequences  of 
Adam's  sin  were  confined  to  his  person;  and  that  the  rest  of 
mankind  received  no  disadvantage  from  it ;  that  the  law  qualified 
for  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  was  founded  upon  equal  promises 
with  the  gospel;  that  before  the  coming  of  our  Saviour  some  men 
lived  without  sin;  that  new-born  infants  are  in  the  same  condition 
with  Adam  before  his  fall ;  that  the  death  and  disobedience  of  Adam 
are  not  the  necessary  causes  of  death  to  all  mankind,  neither  does  the 
resurrection  of  the  dead  follow  in  virtue  of  the  Saviour's  resurrec- 
tion ;  that  if  a  man  will  make  the  most  of  himself,  he  may  keep  the 
commands  of  God  without  difficulty,  and  preserve  himself  in  a  per- 
fect state  of  innocence ;  that  rich  men,  notwithstanding  the  advan- 
tage of  their  baptism,— which  was  generally  supposed  to  wash  away 
all  sin,— unless  they  parted  with  all  their  estate,  would  find  all  other 
virtues  insignificant  to  them;  neither  could  they  be  qualified  for  the 
kingdom  of  heaven ;  that  the  grace  and  assistance  of  God  are  not 
granted  for  the  performance  of  every  moral  act,  the  freedom  of  the 
will  and  information  in  the  points  of  duty  being  sufficient  for  this 
purpose;  that  the  grace  of  God  is  given  in  proportion  to  our  merits; 
that  none  can  be  called  the  sons  of  God  unless  they  are  perfectly 
without  sin  ;  that  our  victory  over  temptation  is  not  gained  by  God's 
assistance,  but  by  the  freedom  of  the  will.^ 

To  Collier's  statement,  it  might  be  added  that  the  character 
of  Pelagius  was  without  a  blemish  ;  and  that  he  declared  that 
it  "  was  through  the  Holy  Scriptures  alone  that  any  one  is 
able  to  know  the  whole  will  of  God."  ^ 

Pelagius  was  assailed  by  Augustine,  of  Hippo,  after  his 
conversion  almost  a  second  inspired  Paul.  Jerome  joined  in 
the  warfare.  Pelagius,  the  obscure  Briton,  Coelestius  the 
Hibernian,  and  Julianus,  with  minor  adherents,  threatened 
for  a  time  to  disturb  the  peace  of  the  Christian  world. 

1  Collier's  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Vol.  I.,  pp.  96,  97.    London,  1840. 

sin  Scripturis  Divinis  per  quas  solas  potes  plenaiu  Dei  intelligere  vohintat.'ui. 
"  Ep.  Demetrias,"  Cap.  9. 


44  ANCIENT   BEITISH    AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

About  A.  D.  425,  Pelagianism  was  introduced  into  Britain 
by  Agricola  from  Gaul.  Its  advocates  were  so  successful  in 
their  mission,  that  in  a  short  time  they  made  a  great  number 
of  converts,  and  thoroughly  alarmed  the  friends  of  sovereign 
grace.  "  They  refused  absolutely  to  embrace  this  perverse 
doctrine,  so  blasphemous  against  the  grace  of  Christ ;  "  and 
as  the  orthodox  British  clergy  felt  unable  to  confute  its  "  sub- 
tlety by  force  of  argument,"  they  applied  to  the  Galilean 
bishops  for  help.  They  never  thought  of  seeking  the  aid  of 
the  pope.  The  neighboring  bishops  consulted  in  a  synod 
summoned  for  the  purpose,  and  by  unanimous  choice,  in  A.  D. 
429,  sent  Germanus,  bishop  of  Auxerre,  and  Lupus,  of  Troyes, 
to  eradicate  the  heresy.  A  multitude  welcomed  these  breth- 
ren on  landing  in  Britain.  The  fame  of  their  sermons  and 
virtues  spread  quickly  over  the  country ;  they  preached  daily 
in  the  churches,  streets,  and  fields,  so  that  the  orthodox 
everywhere  were  confirmed,  and  wanderers  were  restored. 
But  while  the  masses  accepted  the  testimony  of  the  visiting 
bishops,  the  Pelagian  leaders  kept  in  the  background,  until 
driven  by  the  loss  of  so  many  from  their  ranks,  they  boldly 
came  forth  and  met  the  champions  of  truth  in  a  public  discus- 
sion. They  appeared,  "  conspicuous  for  riches,"  in  glittering 
apparel,  and  supported  by  the  flatteries  of  many.  Evidently 
the  wealthy  Britons  were  Pelagians.  An  immense  multitude 
of  men,  with  their  wives  and  children,  surrounded  the 
speakers.  It  was  one  of  the  most  momentous  meetings  ever 
held  in  Britain.  The  aristocratic  followers  of  Pelagius  deliv- 
ered their  addresses  first  and,  as  Bede  says — perhaps  not  im- 
partially— "  long  took  up  the  time,  and  filled  the  ears  with 
empty  words."  The  Galilean  bishops,  when  the  Pelagians 
ended,  poured  forth  a  torrent  of  evangelical  eloquence,  sus- 
tained by  Scripture  proofs  and  the  written  testimonies  of 
famous  Christian  authors.  The  Pelagians  were  utterly  over- 
thrown and  confessed  their  errors,  and  for  some  time  aban- 
doned their  heresy.^ 

1  Bede's  '  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  I.,  cap.  17. 


THE   FIFTH   AND   SIXTH    CENTURIES.  45 

In  the  same  year  a  piratical  party  of  Saxons  from  beyond 
the  sea  united  with  an  invading  force  of  Picts  from  Caledonia 
to  attack  the  Britons.  Greatly  fearing  their  adversaries,  the 
Britons  entreated  the  assistance  of  Germanus  and  Lupus. 
Germanus  had  been  a  general  before  he  was  a  bishop,  and  he 
accepted  the  appointment  of  commander  of  the  British 
troops.  He  found  in  the  country  through  which  the  enemy 
was  expected  a  valley  surrounded  by  hills,  in  which  he 
placed  his  inexperienced  troops.  As  the  enemy  was  seen 
approaching,  Germanus  seized  the  standard,  and  gave  orders 
that  all  his  men  should  repeat  the  word  when  he  cried  "  halle- 
lujah." And  as  they  were  ready  for  the  attack,  and  Ger- 
manus and  Lupus  shouted  "  hallelujah "  three  times,  the 
whole  people  uttered  the  same  word  in  their  loudest  tones ; 
and  coming  unexpectedly  upon  the  Saxons  and  Picts,  the 
hills  resounding  the  echo  on  all  sides,  they  were  filled  with 
dread  ;  a  panic  seized  them,  and  fearing  that  not  only  the 
neighboring  rocks,  but  that  the  skies  were  falling  upon  them, 
they  fled  with  all  haste,  and  threw  away  their  weapons  to 
increase  their  speed.  The  Britons  did  not  lose  a  man  and 
collected  much  booty.  This  bloodless  battle  took  place  near 
Mold,  in  Flintshire,  Wales,  and  is  known  as  the  "  Hallelujah  " 
victory.^ 

Pelagianism  revived  in  Britain  some  time  after  the  depart- 
ure of  Germanus  and  Lupus ;  and  in  process  of  time,  the 
defenders  of  sovereign  grace  became  alarmed  at  the  move- 
ments of  these  free-will  rejecters  of  "  God,  working  in  us  both 
to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleasure,"  and  the  clergy  of 
Britain,  in  A.  d.  447,  sent  again  for  Germanus  to  visit  them 
for  the  defense  of  the  truth.  Germanus,  accompanied  by 
Severus,  subsequently  bishop  of  Treves,  hastened  to  the 
anxious  Britons.  Great  numbers  met  and  welcomed  them  on 
their  lauding.  They  addressed  very  large  congregations  in 
various  directions.  They  gave  much  comfort  to  the  orthodox, 
and  inspired  courage  in  hearts  where  it  was  sadly  needed ; 

1  Bede's  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  I.,  cap.  20. 


46  ANCIENT   BRITISH    AND    IRISH    CHURCHES. 

aud  finding  that  Pelagianism  had  made  little  progress,  and 
was  chiefly  confined  to  certain  demonstrative  leaders,  Ger- 
manus  secured  their  expulsion  from  the  island.^  By  the  exile, 
eflTective  though  unjust,  of  the  leaders,  the  heresy  of  Pelagius 
was  again  overthrown. 

Pelagius  was  a  writer  of  force,  and  even  eloquence,  as  we 
see  in  his  well-known  letter  to  the  Lady  Demetrias.  It  was 
written  upon  the  capture  and  plunder  of  Rome  by  the  Goths 
under  Alaric,  in  a.  d.  410.     He  says: 

This  dismal  calamitj^  is  but  just  over,  and  you  yourself  are  a  ^vitness 
how  Rome,  that  commanded  the  world,  was  astonished  at  the  alarm 
of  the  Gothic  trumpet,  when  that  barbarous  and  victorious  nation 
stormed  her  walls  and  made  their  way  through  the  breach.  Where 
were  then  the  privileges  of  birth  and  the  distinctions  of  quality? 
Were  not  all  ranks  and  degrees  levelled  at  that  time  and  promiscu- 
ously huddled  together?  Every  house  was  then  a  scene  of  misery 
and  equally  filled  with  grief  and  confusion.  The  slave  and  the  man 
of  condition  were  in  the  same  circumstances,  and  everywhere  the 
terror  of  death  and  slaughter  was  the  same;  unless  we  may  say  that 
the  fright  made  the  greater  impression  upon  those  who  obtained  the 
most  by  living.  Now  if  flesh  and  blood  have  such  power  over  fears, 
and  mortal  men  can  frighten  us  to  this  degree,  what  will  become  of 
us  when  the  trumpet  sounds  from  the  sky,  and  the  archangel  summons 
us  to  judgment ;  when  we  are  not  attacked  by  sword  or  lance,  or  by 
anything  so  feeble  as  a  human  enemy,  but  when  the  artillery  of 
heaven,  all  the  terrors  of  nature,  the  militia,  as  I  may  so  speak,  of 
God  Almighty,  are  let  loose  upon  us?  ^ 

Pelagius  at  times  unconsciously  created  for  himself  warm 
affection  in  the  hearts  of  some.  His  great  adversary,  Augus- 
tine, addressed  a  letter  to  him  in  these  terms :  "  To  the  most 
beloved  lord,  and  most  desired  brother,  Pelagius,  Augustine 
wishes  health  in  the  Lord."     He  then  proceeds  to  write : 

I  thank  God  very  much  that  you  were  pleased  to  rejoice  me  with 
your  letter,  and  to  make  me  sure  about  your  health.  The  Lord  give 
you  blessings  by  which  you  may  be  always  happy  and  live  with  the 
Eternal  forever,  most  beloved  Lord,  and  most  desired  brother.^ 

1  Bede's  "Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  I.,  cap.  21. 

2  rollier's  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Vol.  I.,  pp.  94,  95.    London,  1840. 

3  Ussher's  "  Works,"  Vol.  V.,  p.  250. 


THE    FIFTH    AND   hlXTH    CENTURIES.  47 

Besides  his  commentary  and  his  "Letter  to  Demetrias," 
Pelagius  wrote  "  A  Treatise  Concerning  the  Power  of 
Nature,"  several  works  on  "  Free-will,"  and  "  A  Confession 
of  Faith." 

He  was  the  ablest  of  the  ancient  British  Christians  except 
St.  Patrick,  the  apostle  of  Ireland  ;  and  with  the  Holy  Spirit 
directing  his  heart  and  labors,  he  might  have  won  a  heatlien 
nation  for  Christ,  whose  people  would  have  been  blessing  his 
memory  still,  instead  of  securing  a  beggarly  harvest  of 
blighted  hopes,  in  the  graceless  hearts  of  friends,  and  of 
opposition  and  indignation  from  the  larger  part  of  the  Chris- 
tian world. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

CHRISTIANITY   AMONG   THE  ANCIENT   BRITONS   DURING    THE 

FIFTH  AND  SIXTH  CENTURIES  (Continued). 

Bishop  Germanus — His  great  immersion  of  an  army  of  believers — 
Maximus  takes  thirty  thousand  British  soldiers  from  their  island — 
In  desperate  straits  the  Britons  make  a  final  appeal  to  Kome — In- 
vasion of  the  Anglo-Saxons — British  heroes :  Vortimer,  Ambrosius, 
King  Arthur — Destruction  of  churches  and  slaughter  of  ministers 
and  congregations — Famous  British  colleges — The  synod  of  Brevy 
— The  Pelagians — Celebrated  church  leaders— The  monastery  of 
Bangor — Its  extensive  ruins. 

Germanus  became  bishop  of  Auxerre  in  France  on  the 
death  of  Amator,  in  A.  d.  418,  and  remained  there  for  thirty 
years,  when  he  entered  the  rest  of  heaven.  He  was  of  noble 
parents,  governor  of  a  province,  and  a  general.  His  courage 
made  light  of  dangers ;  his  love  for  Christ  and  souls  made 
him  preach  everywhere.^  He  was  an  eloquent  speaker.  Dur- 
ing his  first  visit  to  Britain,  the  Holy  Spirit  fell  in  saving 
power  upon  great  numbers  of  his  hearers  who,  by  faith,  were 
cleansed  from  sin.  Some  of  these  were  the  warriors  led  by 
him  against  the  Saxons  and  Picts,  of  whom  Bede  writes : 
"  The  army  advanced  still  ivet  with  the  baptismal  water  ;  the 
faith  of  the  people  was  strengthened ;  and  whereas  human 
power  before  had  been  despaired  of,  the  divine  assistance  was 
now  relied  upon."  ^  A  great  revival  swept  over  Britain,  in 
A.  D.  429,  under  the  daily  sermons  and  fervent  prayers  of 
Germanus  and  Lupus. 

Constantine,  a  reputable  clergyman  of  Lyons,  who  wrote  a 
"  Life  of  Germanus,"  in  the  fifth  century,  describes  this  national 
awakening  as  "  so  powerful  among  the  Britons  that  they  had 

1 "  Constant.  Vit.,"  German. 

2  Bede's  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  I.,  cap.  20. 

48 


THE    FIFTH   AND   SIXTH   CEXTUKIES.  49 

preachipg  every  day,  and  eagerly  rushed  for  the  grace  of  bap- 
tism, for  a  very  great  multitude  of  the  army  demanded  the 
water  of  the  salutary  bath  [baptism].  The  army  marched 
[to  the  Hallelujah  battlefield]  wet  with  baptism,  and  the 
people  through  faith  were  enthusiastic.  The  protection  of 
arms  was  despised  in  the  expectation  of  the  help  of  God."  ^ 
The  w^ord  translated  "  wet "  is  the  Latin  word  madidus,  which 
means  "  wet,  "  wringing  wet "  ;  and  as  this  wetting  came  from 
being  put  into  a  large  bathing  vessel,  the  lavacrum,  used  for 
taking  baths,  this  was  clearly  the  baptismal  immersion  of 
great  numbers. 

Dr.  M'Lauchlan,  a  scholarly  Presbyterian,  quoting  from 
Ailred's  "  Life  of  Ninian,"  who  lived  in  A.  D.  400,  that  great 
numbers  "  rushed  to  the  fountain  of  saving  cleansing,"  adds : 
"  Wells  seem  to  have  been  used  at  an  early  period  for  bap- 
tism, which,  as  has  been  suggested,  may  be  the  origin  of  their 
being  held  sacred."  ^  That  is,  baptism  was  immersion,  admin- 
istered in  wells  at  an  early  period. 

Dr.  Whitley  Stokes,  an  eminent  Celtic  scholar,  was 
appointed  by  the  authority  of  the  "  Lords'  Commissioners  " 
of  the  British  Treasury  to  edit  "  The  Tripartite  Life  of 
Patrick,  with  other  Documents  Relating  to  that  Saint,"  in 
which  he  states,  "that  the  ordinary  baptismal  rite  is  continu- 
ally referred  to  [by  the  ancient  writers  in  his  two  volumes]. 
Patrick  himself  was  baptized  in  a  well,  and  in  a  well  he  bap- 
tized the  pregnant  Fedilm,  and  it  is  said,  twelve  thousand 
others ;  that  the  immersion  was  trine  appears  from  two  glosses 
in  the  "  Wiirzburg  Codex  Paulinus." '  The  baptism  received 
and  conferred  by  Patrick,  the  British  apostle  of  Ireland, 
was  immersion ;  and  it  was  the  baptism  in  his  day  of  the 
whole  Christian  world. 

When  Germanus  administered  his  great  baptism  to  the 
Britons,  their  country  had  been  Christian  for  many  years ; 

1  "  Germani  Antisis.  Vit.,  "  Lib.  I.,  cap.  28. 
»"  The  Early  Scottish  Church,"  p.  71. 

3  "  Government  Tripartite  Life,"  Vol.  L,  Intro.,  p.  183.    London,  18S7. 
K 


50  ANCIENT  BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHI/RCHES. 

there  is  no  ground  for  supposing  that  there  was  an  avowed 
pagan  in  it;  and  if  infant  baptism  had  prevailed  among 
them  as  it  has  been  practised  among  all  Pedobaptists  until 
the  principles  of  the  Baptists  began  to  spread  in  modern 
times,  there  would  scarcely  have  been  five  hundred  unbaptized 
children  over  three  months  old  in  Britain. 

Constantine  declares  that  "  a  very  great  multitude  of  the 
army  "  demanded  baptism.  Bede  confirms  this  statement. 
Where  did  these  people  come  from  if  their  fathers  practised 
infant  baptism  ?  Their  existence  can  only  be  accounted  for 
by  the  absence  of  the  infant  rite.  "  Infant  baptism,"  says 
Neander,  "among  the  Christians  of  the  East,  though  in 
theory  acknowledged  to  be  necessary,  yet  entered  so  rarely 
and  with  so  much  difficulty  into  church  life,  during  the  first 
half  of  this  period" — the  first  half  of  the  fourth  century; 
and  he  gives  as  a  result  of  the  absence  of  baptism — "  that  in 
times  of  public  calamity,  in  earthquakes,  in  the  dangers  of 
war,  multitudes  hurried  to  baptism,  and  the  numbers  of  the 
existing  clergy  scarcely  sufiaced  for  the  wants  of  all."^ 
Gregory,  of  Nazianzum,  was  baptized  at  thirty-one ;  Jerome, 
the  early  translator  and  commentator,  at  thirty-two.  These 
distinguished  fathers  of  the  fourth  century  had  Christian 
parents.  Augustine  and  other  fathers  born  in  the  fourth 
century  were  immersed  at  adult  age,  though  one  parent  was 
a  Christian,  and  probably  both,  at  their  birth.  There  is 
absolutely  no  evidence  that  any  baptism  but  that  of  the  im- 
mersion of  adult  believers  existed  among  the  ancient  Britons 
in  the  first  half  of  the  fifth  century,  nor  for  a  long  period 
afterward. 

The  Britons,  after  the  departure  of  the  Romans,  had  no 
regular  schools  for  higher  education.  There  is  reason  to 
believe  that  Germanus  induced  them  to  establish  monastic 
schools,  like  that  at  Lerins,  in  France.  It  was  founded  by 
Honoratus,  in  the  end  of  the  fourth  century.  Lerins  edu- 
cated twelve  archbishops,  a  dozen  bishops,  and  more  than 

1 "  General  History  of  the  Christian  Church,"  Vol.  II.,  pp.  319,  320.    Boston. 


THE   FIFTH   AND   SIXTH   CENTURIES.  51 

a  hundred  marlyrs.  It  was  called,  "  The  blessed  isle,  the  isle 
of  saints."  ^  It  is  almost  certain  that  to  his  advice  they  were 
indebted  for  several  noble  schools  with  thousands  of  students. 
They  loved  Germanus  dearly,  and  named  churches  in  various 
places  after  him;  and  in  Wales,  where  the  Anglo-Saxons 
could  not  destroy  them,  as  they  did  in  England,  a  considerable 
number  remain  to  this  day,  such  as  Llanarmon  in  Denbigh- 
shire, Llanarmon  DyfFrin  Ceirioy,  and  St.  Harmon's,  Rad- 
norshire. The  Welsh  form  of  Germanus  is  Garmon  ;  and  in 
composition  the"G"  is  dropped.  "Llan"is  used  for  our 
word  church ;  so  that  "  Llanarmon  "  is  the  church  of  Ger- 
manus. In  the  parish  of  Mold,  in  Flintshire,  Mars-Garmon 
is  located,  that  is  the  field  of  Germanus ;  this  is  believed  to 
be  the  field  of  battle  of  Germanus  when  assailed  by  the 
Saxons  and  Picts,  whom  he  routed  by  "  Hallelujah  !  "  shouted 
simultaneously  three  times  by  his  whole  army. 

Fastidius,  a  British  bishop  at  this  period,  became  prom- 
inent, and  was  regarded  as  a  man  of  "  great  genius  and  elo- 
quence, an  excellent  preacher,  and  a  very  pious  person."  He 
wrote  a  work  upon  the  "Christian  Life,"  which  Du  Pin 
commends  highly .2  Faustus,  a  Briton  by  birth,  who  spent 
many  years  in  Gaul,  became  abbot  of  the  celebrated  monastic 
school  of  Lerins,  about  a.  d.  430.  He  had  "  a  wonderful 
reputation  for  piety  and  learning."  Du  Pin  states  that  "  he 
was  commended  and  honored  by  the  greatest  men  of  his 
time." ' 

It  is  certain  that  there  were  many  men  of  exalted  worth 
and  usefulness  among  the  Britons  during  the  fifth  and  sixth 
centuries,  of  whom  we  have  a  scanty  record,  or  none  of  any 
kind ;  but  it  is  encouraging  to  meet  with  British  authors  of 
merit  in  ages  when  their  country  was  desolated  with  fire  and 
sword  in  wars  that  apparently  would  never  end. 

When  the  Romans  first  removed  their  troops  from  Britain, 


1  Michelet's  "  History  of  France,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  65.    New  York. 
«  Du  Pin's  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  497.  3  Ibid.,  p.  510. 


52  ANCIENT   BRITISH    AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

after  the  capture  of  Rome,  in  a.  d.  410,  the  people  were 
civilized  and  surrounded  in  many  cases  with  comforts  and 
luxuries.  Their  gardens  and  villas  exhibited  some  faint 
imitation  of  Italian  elegance/  They  were  in  the  most  unwar- 
like  condition  of  any  people  in  Europe.  Some  years  before, 
the  usurper  Maximus,  bent  upon  the  invasion  of  Gaul,  led  an 
army  into  it  containing  thirty  thousand  Britons  who  never 
returned.^  There  were  twelve  considerable  bodies  of  British 
troops  located  in  various,  and  often  distant  provinces  of  the 
Roman  Empire,  and  always  outside  of  their  own  country, 
from  which  they  were  regularly  recruited.^  Britons  were 
never  trained  to  arms  or  given  military  employment  at  home. 
Immediately  after  the  withdrawal  of  the  Roman  troops,  and 
again,  when  they  returned  to  give  their  enemies  a  parting 
and  crushing  defeat,  and  left  the  island,  the  Britons,  deprived 
of  all  military  protectors,  native  or  foreign,  suffered  enor- 
mously. The  Picts  and  Scots,  ferocious  w^arriors  to  whom  the 
shedding  of  blood  w^as  a  daily  business,  preyed  upon  them. 
Petty  tyrants  sprang  up  among  them  to  divide  their  remain- 
ing: streno-th  and  encourasre  their  murderers.  It  is  not 
remarkable,  even  after  the  relief  given  them,  and  the  return 
of  the  legion  loaned  by  Rome,  that  they  should  send  an 
address  pleading  for  another  visit  from  the  warriors  who  had 
protected  them  for  centuries.  Their  memorable  petition,  con- 
taining the  words,  "  The  barbarians  drive  us  to  the  sea  ;  the 
sea  throws  us  back  upon  the  barbarians  ;  these  two  modes  of 
death  await  us — we  are  either  to  be  slain  or  drowned,"  *  has 
frequently  excited  scorn,  but  deserves  only  compassion. 

From  the  invasion  of  the  Anglo-Saxons,  in  a.  d.  449,  fierce 
war  existed  between  them  and  the  Britons  for  about  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty  years,  with  interruptions  commonly  of  brief 
duration.     The  Britons,  betrayed  by  King  Vortigern  in  the 

1  Gibbon's  "  Decline  and  Fall,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  304.    McGowan. 
21bid.,  p.  168. 

3  Rapin's  "  History  of  England,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  25.    London,  1732 

4  "  Works  of  Gildas,"  Sec.  20,  21, 


THE   FIFTH   AND   SIXTH   CENTURIES.  53 

admission  of  these  warlike  barbariaus  into  their  country,  and 
otherwise  divided,  were  far  from  becoming  an  easy  prey  to 
their  future  conquerors.  To  their  natural  bravery  they 
added,  from  necessity,  other  developments  of  successful  mili- 
tary experience,  until  they  became  formidable  to  their  in- 
vaders, whom  they  frequently  drove  from  the  field  of  battle. 
The  tomb  of  Vortimer,  the  son  of  Vortigern,  was  built  upon 
the  shore  as  a  warning  to  the  roving  Saxons,  whom  he  had 
defeated  three  times  in  Kent.^  Ambrosius  Aurelian  showed 
himself  one  of  the  bravest  of  generals,  whose  leadership 
commonly  led  to  victory. 

But  every  British  name  is  effaced  by  the  illustrious  name  of 
Arthur,  the  hereditary  prince  of  the  Silures,  in  South  Wales,  and 
the  elected  king  or  general  of  the  nation.  According  to  the  most 
rational  account  he  defeated  in  twelve  successive  battles  the  Angles 
of  the  North,  and  the  Saxons  of  the  West ;  but  the  declining  age  of 
the  hero  was  embittered  by  popular  ingratitude  and  domestic  mis- 
fortunes. 

Rapin  speaks  of  him  as  a  great  general ;  as  a  hero  who 
enjoyed  so  much  of  the  love  and  esteem  of  the  Britons  that, 
after  his  decease  many  of  them  would  never  believe  that  he 
was  dead.2  This  valiant  Gustavus  Adolphus  of  the  Britons 
built  and  repaired  churches,  and  was  for  years  the  shield  of 
British  Christianity.  But  the  Britons  had  sinned  deeply 
against  God.  Gildas  the  Briton  places  the  five  kings  of  his 
country  in  moral  pillories,  and  beside  them  many  of  the  lead- 
ing clergymen.  Most  of  the  Britons  had  backslidden  from 
God.  The  savage  fury  of  the  Saxons  came  as  the  scourge 
of  Jehovah,  and  it  pressed  onward  and  never  stopped  until 
the  Britons  were  driven  to  the  confines  of  Cornwall  and 
Wales,  and  desolation  and  death  marked  the  long,  sad  line  of 
the  retreat.     Gildas  writes  : 

All  the  husbandmen  were  routed,  together  with  their  bi?hops, 
priests,  and  people,  whilst  the  sword  gleamed,  and  the  flames 
crackled  around  them  on  every  side.     Lamentable  to  behold,  in  the 

1  Gib>)on's  "  Decline  and  Full,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  475.    McGowan,  London. 

2  Rapin's  "  History  of  England,"  Vol.  I.,  pp.  38,  39. 


54  ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

midst  of  the  streets  lay  the  tops  of  the  lofty  towers  tumbled  to  the 
ground,  stones  of  high  walls,  holy  altars,  fragments  of  human  bodies 
covered  with  livid  clots  of  coagulated  blood,  looking  as  if  tbey  had 
been  squeezed  together  in  a  press;  and  with  no  chance  of  being 
buried,  save  in  the  ruins  of  the  houses,  or  in  the  ravening  bellies  of 
wild  beasts  and  birds. ^ 

The  destruction  of  the  churches  was  followed  by  the  flight 
of  the  ministers  to  escape  martyrdom.  And  in  all  England, 
as  distinct  from  Cornwall  and  Wales,  Christianity  was  a 
mere  memory  of  the  past. 

The  conquest  of  Britain  by  the  Anglo-Saxons,  with  the 
destruction  of  its  Christianity  and  so  many  of  its  people,  is 
one  of  the  darkest  chapters  in  the  book  of  crime.  The  sub- 
jugation of  Gaul  by  the  Franks,  who  spoke  the  same  lan- 
guage as  the  Anglo-Saxons,  or  even  of  the  Anglo-Saxons 
themselves  by  William  the  Conqueror,  was  merciful  in  com- 
parison with  the  fate  of  the  ancient  Britons. 

Though  the  Christian  ''  priests,"  as  Bede  says,  "  were  every- 
where slain  before  the  altars ;  and  the  prelates  and  the  peo- 
ple, without  any  respect  of  persons,  were  destroyed  with  fire 
and  sword,"  ^  yet  Christianity  lived  in  Wales,  even  with 
vigor,  during  these  hundred  and  thirty  years  of  persecution, 
and  it  flourishes  there  still. 

One  of  the  powerful  agencies  for  extending  the  gospel 
among  the  ancient  Britons  was  the  establishment  of  great 
monastic  schools,  where  the  Bible  was  studied,  and  literary 
instruction  imparted.  These  institutions  are  said  to  have 
been  founded,  soon  after  A.  D.  429,  by  Dubricius  and  Iltutus, 
supposed  disciples  of  Germanus. 

Ussher  quotes  a  statement  about  Dubricius  which  appears 
to  be  worthy  of  acceptance : 

His  fame  was  increased,  on  account  of  his  knowledge  of  the  Old 
and  New  Testaments,  through  the  whole  of  Britain,  so  that  scholars 
came  from  every  part  of  it;  and  not  only  the  uneducated,  but  the 
philosophical  and  the  learned  thronged  to  him  for  the  sake  of  study; 

1 "  Works  of  Gildas,"  Sec.  24,  25.  2  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  I.,  cap.  15. 


THE   FIFTH  AND  SIXTH  CENTURIES.  55 

and  with  them  he  retained  a  thousand  clergymen  through  seven  con- 
tinuous years  at  his  hall  at  Hentland,  on  the  river  Wye,  in  the  study 
of  literature  and  divinity.^ 

We  are  also  informed  that  he  had  another  place  named 
Moch-Rhos,  on  the  same  river,  where  "  he  remained  many- 
years,  directing  the  studies  of  his  innumerable  scholars. 
The  students  supported  themselves  by  cultivating  the  knd 
belonging  to  the  institution,  and  by  the  fish  in  the  river 
Wye."     He  died  about  a.  d.  522. 

In  A.  D.  519,  a  numerous  synod  was  held  at  Brevy,  in 
Wales,  to  suppress  a  newly  threatened  outbreak  of  Pelagian- 
ism.  At  this  assembly  all  the  bishops  in  Britain  were  pres- 
ent ;  and  one  hundred  and  eighteen  prelates  took  part  in  its 
proceedings,  besides  abbots,  and  others.^ 

St.  David  preached  to  a  vast  concourse  of  people,  and  by 
his  eloquence  and  learning  completely  silenced  the  Pela- 
gians.^ He  founded  twelve  monastic  schools,  the  chief  one 
of  which  was  in  the  valley  of  Ross,  near  Menevia,  where  he 
trained  many  eminent  ministers.  For  ages  he  was  described 
as  "  the  glory  of  the  ancient  British  church." 

Iltutus  shared  with  Dubricius  in  the  honor  of  founding 
the  great  monastic  colleges  of  Wales.  In  his  institution 
many  noblemen's  sons  were  educated ;  among  his  pupils 
were  Sampson,  afterward  archbishop  of  Dole,  in  Brittany; 
Paul,  another  bishop  in  Brittany ;  David,  Paulinus,  and 
Gildas  the  Wise.*  His  school,  says  Leland,  flourished  like  a 
university  among  the  Britons.^ 

The  best  known  of  these  monastic  colleges  was  located  at 
Bangor,  in  Flintshire,  Wales.  This  monastery  was  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Chester,  in  England,  as  we  learn  from  AVil- 
liam,  of  Malmesbury,  an  intelligent  and  careful  writer,  who 
died  about  A.  d.  1143.     He  states  that  Chester  belonged  to 

1  Ussher's  "  Works,"  Vol,  V.,  p.  510. 

2  Stillingfleet's  "  Antiquities  of  the  British  Churches,"  pp.  357,  358. 

3  Butler's  "  Lives  of  the  Saints,"  p.  28o.    Dublin. 
<  "  A''it.  Gild.,"  Cap.  III. 

5  Collier's  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Vol.  T.,  p.  112.    London,  1840. 


56  ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH    CHURCHES. 

the  Britons,  as  well  as  the  adjacent  monastery  of  Bangor, 
in  the  adjoining  Welsh  county  of  Flint.  He  speaks  of  the 
"  incredible  number  "  of  the  monks  as  seen  in  the  vast  extent 
of  the  ruins.  "  In  his  day  there  were  so  many  half-destroyed 
walls  of  churches  in  the  neighboring  monastery,  so  many 
winding  porticoes,  such  masses  of  ruins,  as  are  scarcely  to 
be  seen  elsewhere."  ^ 

According  to  Bede,  Ethelfrid,  the  pagan  king  of  North- 
umbria,  raised  a  mighty  army  against  the  Britons  of  Chester ; 
and  observing,  as  he  drew  near  to  attack  the  enemy,  a  body 
of  priests  numbering  twelve  hundred  and  fifty,  most  of  whom 
were  from  the  monastery  of  Bangor,  standing  near  the  Britons, 
in  a  place  of  great  safety,  praying  for  the  success  of  their 
warriors,  he  ordered  an  assault  to  be  made  upon  them  first, 
because,  he  said,  though  they  do  not  bear  arms,  they  cry  to 
their  God  against  us,  and  fight  against  us  by  their  prayers. 
All  but  fifty  of  the  Bangor  students  and  ministers  and 
neighboring  pastors  were  slain,  their  monastery  was  destroyed, 
and  the  Britons  under  Brocmail  were  routed.  The  monas- 
tery of  Bangor,  as  we  learn  from  Bede,  had  seven  divisions ; 
each  section  ruled  by  its  own  rector,  and  each  having  not 
less  than  three  hundred  members,  who  all  lived  by  the  labor 
of  their  hands.^ 

This  great  school,  with  thousands  of  students,  imparted 
instruction  in  every  branch  of  knowledge,  and  especially  in 
the  teachings  of  the  Scriptures.  The  butchery  of  its  twelve 
hundred  unarmed  professors  and  students,  and  of  neighbor- 
ing ministers  with  them  by  savage,  pagan  Ethelfrid,  the 
father  of  saintly  Oswald,  king  of  Northurabria,  while  they 
were  praying  for  their  imperilled  brethren,  is  one  of  the  most 
odious  crimes  against  humanity  in  the  records  of  the  heathen 
Anglo-Saxons. 

The  monastery  of  Tuy  Gwyn,  built  in  A.  d.  1146,  was 


1  Malmesbiiry's  "  Chronicle,"  Lib.  I.,  cap.  3. 
SBede's  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  II  ,  cap.  2. 


THE   FIFTH   AND   SIXTH   CENTURIES.  57 

the  first  abbey  for  friars  erected  in  Wales  ;  "  afterward  tbey 
swarmed  like  bees."  ^ 

Du  Pin  states  that  Gildas  was  abbot  of  Bangor ;  that  he 
wrote  his  lamentations  for  the  miseries  of  Britain  in  A.  d. 
564,  and  died  in  A.  d.  570.  Polydore  Vergil,  writing  of  his 
"  little  book,"  says  "  that  he  has  treated  in  a  few  words  of  the 
history  of  his  time  [and  of  centuries  earlier],  and  he  has 
bewailed  the  iniquity  of  his  British  countrymen  and  times, 
alleging  many  texts  of  Holy  Scriptures  whereby  he  might 
both  train  them  to  goodness,  and  cause  them  to  abandon  evil 
deeds ;  the  book  is  obscure  and  knotty."  ^  The  sub-collector 
of  Peter's  pence  would  find  any  book  full  of  Scripture  ob- 
scure and  knotty. 

Of  the  Sampsons,  one  of  whom  was  bishop  of  York,  and 
subsequently  of  Dole,  in  Brittany  ;  and  the  other,  his  suc- 
cessor in  Dole,  "  who  carried  ofi"  a  great  many  records  of 
British  antiquity  with  him,"  which  were  never  recovered, 
much  might  be  said.  These  distinguished  bishops  were 
honored  when  living,  and  their  memory  was  reverenced  for 
generations  after  their  decease.  Cadocus,  abbot  of  Llancar- 
'  van ;  Paternus,  Petrock,  St.  Telian,  Oudoceus,  St.  Asaph^ 
and  others  among  the  ancient  Britons,  in  times  of  unceasing 
warfare  and  the  most  shocking  public  calamities,  lived  near  to 
God,  and  led  their  suffering  brethren  to  the  same  safe  refuge. 
They  built  churches  and  colleges;  they  sent  out  ministers 
everywhere  to  preach  Christ  among  the  Britons ;  they  made 
and  circulated  many  copies  of  the  Scriptures ;  they  were 
present  with  their  people  in  full  view  of  patriotic  battles, 
though  hindered  by  their  consciences  from  actual  fighting, 
that  they  might  pray  for  their  success,  minister  to  the 
wounded,  and  cheer  the  dying ;  and  that  they  might  invoke 
the  protection  of  the  Almighty  upon  the  helpless  wives  and 
little  ones,  and  the  dear  old  fathers  and  mothers  at  home. 


1  "  Historical  Works  of  Giraldus  Cambre^nsis,"  p.  397  ;  note.    London,  18G3. 

2  "  History  'tf  England,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  28.    Camden  Society,  London. 


58  ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

Often  their  prayers  were  answered  by  sweeping  victories, 
without  which  their  peoj)le  would  have  been  annihilated  by 
Anglo-Saxon  desperadoes.  During  the  long  years  of  war 
with  them,  they  had  martyrs  for  Christ,  with  sufferings  as 
inhuman  as  Romish  fiends  ever  inflicted  upon  the  godly 
Waldenses ;  and  the  number  of  their  sacrificed  brethren  far 
exceeded  those  of  the  Waldenses  in  the  most  cruel  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty  consecutive  years  of  their  entire  blood-stained 
history.  The  Britons  for  centuries  held  the  chief  doctrines 
and  practices  of  the  Baptist  denomination. 


BOOK  II. 
CHRISTIANITY  AMONG  THE  ANCIENT  IRISH. 


CHAPTER  I. 


King  Cormac  rejects  idolatry  long  before  Patrick's  arrival— British 
women  in  Ireland — A  believing  family  immersed — Ccelestius  an 
Irishman — Bishop  Colman — Sir  W.  Betham — Patrick's  testimony. 

Ireland,  so  near  the  coast  of  Britain,  and  so  full  of  war- 
riors, wizards,  and  idolatrous  agencies  and  objects,  was  well 
known  to  the  churches  of  Britain,  and  without  doubt  often 
occupied  their  thoughts  and  enlisted  their  supplications. 
The  Romans  never  attempted  its  conquest ;  and  it  is  probable 
that  the  Christian  Britons  were  deterred  from  adequate 
efforts  to  secure  the  conversion  of  a  savage  people  outside 
the  protection  of  the  Roman  legions.  That  they  made  the 
attempt,  however,  more  than  once,  in  some  form,  their  in- 
vincible zeal  and  historical  facts  assure  us.  St.  Patrick  was 
brought  up  in  a  Christian  family  in  Britain,  where  he  was 
born,  and  the  truth  which  saved  him  when  a  youthful  slave 
in  pagan  Ireland  was  taught  him  in  the  godly  home  of  Deacon 
Calpurnius,  his  father,  and  in  the  church  of  which  he  was  a 
member  and  officer.  When  he  escaped  from  slavery  and  re- 
turned to  his  home,  and  once  more  enjoyed  Christian  society^ 
his  believing  experience  was  greatly  enlarged,  and  his  reliance 
upon  Christ  strengthened  ;  and  soon  he  was  persuaded  that  he 
must  become  a  missionary  to  the  Irish.  His  family,  while 
probably  approving  of  his  zeal,  was  alarmed  at  the  prospect 
before  him.  Slemish,  the  mountain,  with  its  swine,  guarding 
which  he  spent  six  dreary  years,  in  snow,  in  drenchinL^  raiii, 

5U 


60  ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH    CHURCHES. 

in  rags,  and  in  pinching  hunger,  by  day  and  by  night,  reared 
its  rugged  sides  and  black  summit  before  them  in  horror.  And 
still  more  fatal  dangers  were  presented  to  their  imaginations, 
and  full  of  fears  for  his  safety,  they  entreated  him  to  stay 
with  them.  They  offered  him  gifts ;  and  when  these  and 
pressing  appeals  failed,  they  resorted  to  threatenings  and  im- 
prisonment ;  and  as  Patrick  in  his  "  Confession  "  calls  himself 
a  "fugitive,"  it  is  supposed  that  the  resolute  young  Briton 
had  to  fly  from  his  home  to  enter  upon  his  great  work  of 
saving  Ireland.  This  was  the  spirit  of  many  saints  who  car- 
ried the  gospel  over  Britain  until  its  people  were  converted,  and 
probably  of  several  others  who  proclaimed  the  glad  tidings  in 
Ireland. 

In  the  beginning  of  his  "  Confession,"  St.  Patrick  says  :  "  I 
was  taken  as  a  slave  into  Ireland  with  so  many  thousands  of 
men,  according  to  our  deserts."  This  was  not  a  solitary  raid 
from  Ireland,  though  a  large  one.  Man-stealing  and  coast 
robbery  were  common.  In  this  way  many  British  Christians, 
nominal  and  real,  were  scattered  over  that  country.  "  The 
Four  Masters'  Annals  of  the  Kingdom  of  Ireland  "  tells  us, 
at  A.  D.  266,  that— 

Forty  years  was  Cormac,  the  son  of  Art,  the  son  of  Conn,  in 
the  sovereignty  of  Ireland  when  he  died  at  Cleiteach,  the  bone 
of  a  salmon  sticking  in  his  throat,  on  account  of  the  Siabhradh 
[Genii]  which  Maelgenn,  the  Druid,  incited  at  him,  after  Cormac  had 
turned  against  the  Druids  on  account  of  the  adoration  of  God  in  pref- 
erence to  them.  Wherefore  a  devil  attacked  him  at  the  instigation 
of  the  Druids. 

He  left  express  orders  that  he  should  not  be  buried  with 
nis  idolatrous  ancestors.     Cormac  was  apparently  a  Christian. 

After  Patrick  had  arrived  in  Ireland  as  a  missionary,  on 
one  occasion  he  left  Lomman  in  charge  of  his  vessel,  while  he 
went  away  for  some  days.     During  his  absence, — 

Lomman  was  reading  the  gospel  aloud,  when  Fortchern,  son  of 
Ft'dilmid,  admiring  the  gospel  and  its  teaching,  forthwith  believed, 
and  tlie  well  being  open,  he  was  baptized  in  that  place  by  Lomman. 


THE   GOSPEL    IN   IRELAND.  61 

He  remained  there  with  him  until  his  mother  came  in  search  of  him 
and  she  was  rejoiced  to  see  him,  for  she  was  a  Britoness.  She  also  be- 
lieved, and  returned  again  to  her  house  and  told  her  husband  everything 
that  happened  to  her  and  to  her  son,  and  Fedilmid  rejoiced  in  the 
coming  of  the  clergyman,  because  his  mother  was  British,  a  daughter 
of  Scoth  Noe,  the  kingof  the  Britons.  Then  Fedilmid  greeted  Lomman 
in  the  British  tongue,  asking  him  about  his  rank,  faith,  and  kindred. 
And  he  answered :  "I  am  Lomman,  a  Briton,  a  Christian,  a  disciple 
of  Bishop  Patrick,  who  was  sent  by  the  Lord  to  baptize  the  people  of 
Ireland,  and  turn  them  to  the  faith  of  Christ,  who  sent  me  here 
according  to  the  will  of  God."  And  immediately  Fedilmid  believed, 
with  his  whole  family,  and  he  made  an  offering  to  him,  and  to  St. 
Patrick,  of  his  lands,  his  possessions,  and  his  substance,  with  all  his 
rights  as  a  chieftain  over  his  followers.^ 

This  evidently  truthful  quotation  is  from  "  Additions  to  the 
Collections  of  Tirechan,"  a  valuable  work  written  in  the  ninth 
century.  These  Christians  of  British  blood  represented  mul- 
titudes from  Albion,  some  of  whom  bore  witness  in  Ireland  to 
the  power  and  peace  of  the  gospel  during  perhaps  three  hun- 
dred years  of  Hibernian  paganism. 

Coelestius,^  an  Irishman,  born  in  the  fourth  century,  became 
a  Christian,  and  during  a  large  part  of  the  first  half  of  the 
fifth,  he  was  one  of  the  most  active  men  in  Europe  or  Asia. 
Accepting  the  heretical  opinions  of  Pelagius,  he  was  untiring 
in  his  efforts  to  spread  and  defend  them. 

In  the  "  Additions  to  Tirechan's  Collections,"  it  is  written : 
"  Colman,  a  bishop,  presented  to  Bishop  Patrick,  his  church 
at  Cluain  Cain,  in  Achud  Cain,  as  an  offering  devoted  to  him 
forever;  and  he  committed  it  to  the  holy  men,  presbytef 
Medb  and  presbyter  Sadb."  ^  Neither  Patrick  nor  his  assist- 
ants had  ever  conducted  the  services  of  this  church.  Its  own- 
ership and  use  were  exclusively  Colman's.  He  was  evidently 
a  missionary  Briton,  laboring  in  Ireland  before  Patrick's 
arrival ;  or  else  he  came  to  it  independently  of  Patrick. 


1  In  "  Government  Tripartite  Life,"  Vol.  II.,  pp.  334,  335. 

2  Jf^rome's  "  Proemium,"  in  Lib.  III.    Comment,  in  "  Jeremiam,"  Tom.  V.,  p. 
137     "  Froben.  Bal.,"  a.  d.  1516. 

3  In  "  Government  Tripartite  Life,"  Vol.  IL,  p.  337. 


62  ANCIENT  BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

Soames  gives  the  general  verdict  of  scholars  about  Chris- 
tianity in  Ireland,  when,  in  speaking  of  the  arrival  of  Palla- 
dius,  in  A.  d.  431,  he  says :  ''  The  truth  is,  that  a  few  Christian 
congregations,  regularly  organized  under  bishops,  had  existed 
in  the  south  of  Ireland  from  some  very  remote  period."  ^ 

Dr.  William  Lindsay  Alexander,  a  Scotch  writer  of  his- 
torical ability,  states  that, — 

Patrick  was  not,  indeed,  the  apostle  of  Ireland,  for  Christianity 
existed  there  before  his  arrival.  It  is  nevertheless  certain  that  he 
found  the  greater  part  of  the  island  so  utterly  destitute  of  its  influence, 
that  to  him  was  granted  a  degree  of  success  such  as  none  of  his  prede- 
cessors had  attained.  ^ 

The  late  distinguished  scholar.  Sir  William  Betham,  in  his 
"  Antiquarian  Researches,"  states  that  Ireland  was  Christian- 
ized by  St.  Patrick  long  before  the  year  A.  d.  432,  the  date 
assigned  by  most  of  the  analysts,  and  the  writers  of  his 
"  Lives,"  for  the  commencement  of  his  labors  in  it.  We  have 
no  doubt  that  St.  Patrick  began  his  ministry  in  Ireland  in  the 
end  of  the  fourth  century,  and  not  in  A.  d.  432 ;  and  there 
is  a  moral  certainty  that  long  before  his  day  there  were 
Christians  in  Ireland. 

Toward  the  end  of  his  "  Confession,"  Patrick  clearly  inti- 
mates this;  "I  travel  amongst  you"  [he  says  to  his  con- 
verts] "even  to  remote  places,  where  no  one  has  ever 
come  to  baptize,  ordain  clergymen,  or  edify  the  people." 
From  these  words  it  seems  evident  that  some  others  in  places 
more  easily  reached  had  performed  these  sacred  duties. 

1  Soames'  "  Latin  Church,"  p  53.    London. 

a  "  The  Ancient  British  Church,"  p.  162.    London. 


CHAPTER  II. 

BRITAIN  ST.  Patrick's  country. 

Kingdom  of  Strathclyde — Dumbarton  Patrick's  birthplace— "Whit- 
ley Stokes— Joceline — Giraldus  Cambrensis— Koman  coins  found 
in  Ireland — Irish  piratical  attacks  on  Caledonia— Miliuc  Patrick's 
owner — The  Irish  kingdom  in  Caledonia — Patrick's  testimony. 

From  an  early  period  there  was  a  large  British  popula- 
tion, from  Cumberland,  England,  into  Dumbarton,  Scotland, 
out  of  which  the  kingdom  of  Strathclyde  was  constituted. 
Its  people  maintained  their  own  sovereignty  with  some  modi- 
fications until  the  eleventh  century.  All  Britain  was  divided 
by  the  Romans  into  seven  provinces,  only  five  of  which  were 
permanently  under  them.^  They  left  it  for  the  last  time  in 
A.  D.  423,  having  returned  after  their  previous  withdrawal 
to  render  temporary  military  help  to  their  sorely  pressed 
British  friends. 

Dumbarton,  in  Scottish  Gaelic,  is  Dun  Bhreatuin,  the  city 
of  the  Britons.  Bede  describes  it  as  "  The  strong  city  of  the 
Britons,  standing  in  his  day,  called  Alcluith,"  which  in  their 
(British)  language  signifies  the  rock  Cluith,  for  it  is  close  to 
the  river  of  that  name.  It  formed  the  western  termination 
of  the  Roman  wall,  built  by  A^ricola,  a.  d.  80,  which  ex- 
tended from  the  Firth  to  the  Clyde. 

St.  Patrick,  in  the  beginning  of  his  celebrated  "  Confession," 
says :  "  I  had  Calpurnius,  a  deacon,  for  my  father,  who  was 
the  son  of  the  late  Potitus,  a  presbyter,  who  resided  in  the 
village  of  Banaven  Tabernise ;  for  he  had  a  little  farm  ad- 
jacent where  I  was  captured.  I  was  then  nearly  sixteen  years 
of  age."  The  country  from  which  the  youthful  Patrick  was 
forcibly  carried  has  given  rise  to  much  discussion.     The  only 

1  "  Richard  of  Cirencester,"  Lib.  I.,  cap.  6. 

63 


64  ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH    CHURCHES. 

two  quarters  for  which  arguments  worthy  of  the  name  are 
employed  are  Great  Britain  and  Gaul,  as  France  was  called 
in  ancient  times.  His  traditional  residence  for  some  time  in 
Gaul,  and  his  love,  expressed  in  the  "  Confession,"  for  the 
godly  brethren  of  that  country,  are  the  chief  reasons  alleged 
for  claiming  it  as  his  birthplace.  Against  France,  and  in 
favor  of  Britain,  Patrick  and  others  furnish  evidence  which 
cannot  be  resisted.  His  birth  took  place  in  or  near  Dumbar- 
ton, among  the  Strathclyde  Britons,^  and  though  the  place 
of  his  birth  is  now  in  Scotland,  ages  before  Patrick  was  born, 
and  ages  after,  it  belonged  to  the  Britons,  from  whom  Patrick 
himself  sprang. 

In  the  piratical  raid  in  which  Patrick  w^as  seized,  he  tells 
us  in  his  "  Confession  "  that  "  He  was  carried  into  slavery  in 
Ireland  with  many  thousand  men." 

This  man-stealing  expedition  would  have  met  with  serious, 
if  not  insuperable,  difficulties  in  transporting  these  thousands 
of  captives  from  Gaul  to  Ireland.  Irish  ships  in  that  period 
were  chiefly  "  coracles,"  made  of  the  skins  of  beasts  and 
wicker  (willow)  rods ;  a  kind  of  boat,  frail  as  it  may  seem, 
which  is  still  frequently  used  in  Arran,  A  chill,  and  the 
western  coast  of  Ireland.^  Though  the  Irish  made  long 
and  dangerous  voyages  in  these  hide-covered  basket  ships, 
yet  the  conveyance  of  some  thousands  of  unwilling  and  vin- 
dictive captives  over  the  wide  sea  separating  France  from  Ire- 
land in  any  mere  raid  seems  extremely  doubtful.  Dr.  Whit- 
ley Stokes  in  his  introduction  to  "  The  Tripartite  Life  of  St. 
Patrick,"  p.  137,  says  : 

The  least  improbable  statements  about  Putrick  are  that  he  was 
born  about  373  [more  probably  about  a.  d.  360],  at  Nemptor,  which 
may  have  been  the  older  name  for  Ail  Cluacle,  "  Kock  of  Clyde," 
now  Dumbarton.  Sucat,  the  saint's  baptismal  name,  is  the  modern 
Welsh  Hygad,  "warlike,"  some  of  whose  exploits  may  have  helped 
to  form  the  legend  of  our  saint. 

1  Ussher's  "  Work,"  Vol.  VI.,  pp.  375,  376.    Erlington  ed. 

2  "  Ireland  and  the  Celtic  Church,"  p.  115.    Dublin,  1888. 


BRITAIN    ST.    PATRICK'S   COUNTRY.  65 

Joceiiiie  (Vit.  Pat.,  cap.  7),  in  the  twelfth  century,  speaking 
of  Nenipthur,  Patrick's  reputed  birthplace,  states  that  "  It 
was  in  the  valley  of  the  Clyde,  and  was  usually  called  by  the 
people  Dunbretan,  or  3Ions  Brltonum,  the  hill  of  the 
Britons,"  Dumbarton.  Giraldus  Carabrensis,  a  learned 
Welsh  ecclesiastic,  for  some  time  a  resident  of  Ireland  during 
its  partial  conquest  in  the  twelfth  century  by  the  forces  of  the 
English  king,  gives  undoubtedly  the  universal  tradition  of 
the  Irish  about  Patrick,  when  he  writes  :  "  Patrick,  a  native 
of  Britain,  and  a  man  eminent  for  the  sanctity  of  his  life."  ^ 
Neander  follows  with  the  same  testimony : 

The  place  of  Patrick's  birth  was  Bonnaven,  which  lay  between  the 
Scottish  towns  Dumbarton  and  Glasgow  [they  are  about  fifteen  miles 
apart],  and  was  then  reckoned  to  the  province  of  Britain.  .  .  At  the 
age  of  sixteen  he  with  many  others  of  his  countrymen  was  carried 
oflf  by  Scottish  [the  name  of  the  Irish  then]  pirates  to  the  northern 
part  of  Hibernia,  and  sold  to  a  chieftain. 2 

From  the  coast  of  Antrim  in  Ireland  to  Dumbarton  on 
the  Clyde,  the  space  is  crossed  by  a  steamer  in  a  few  hours ; 
from  the  cliffs  of  the  Antrim  coast  the  houses  in  the  nearest 
part  of  Scotland  can  be  seen.  The  Irish  Scots  made  many 
piratical  attacks  upon  the  territories  of  the  Picts  and  their 
British  neighbors  in  what  is  now  called  Scotland.  In  the  lat- 
ter half  of  the  fourth  century  these  expeditions  inflicted  such 
widespread  and  intolerable  injuries  upon  them  that  the 
Romans  made  extraordinary  efforts  by  land  and  sea  to  stop 
assaults  from  Caledonia  and  Ireland  upon  their  five  sections  of 
Britain. 

Some  of  the  plunder  carried  off  by  the  Irish  Scots,  probably 
from  Dumbarton  and  its  neighborhood,  has  been  found  within 
fifty  years  at  the  Giant's  Causeway  and  Coleraine,  about 
forty  miles  from  Belfast,  and  elsewhere  in  Ireland.  At  the 
Causeway  in  1831,  two  hundred  Roman  coins  were  discovered, 
extending  from  Vespasian,  A.  d.  70,  to  the  Anton ines,  a.  d. 

1  "  The  Topography  of  Ireland,"  Dist.  III.,  cap.  16. 
s  Neander'8  "  General  History,"  Vol,  II.,  p.  122. 


66  ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

160.  At  Coleraine,  in  1854,  two  thousand  Roman  coins  were 
found  and  two  hundred  ounces  of  silver ;  the  coins  were  all 
of  the  fourth  and  fifth  centuries,  ending  with  Honorius  by 
whom  Britain  was  surrendered  by  the  Romans.^  Numerous 
discoveries  of  Roman  coins  have  been  made  in  the  same 
section,  in  Ulster,  and  in  other  parts  of  Ireland,  though  the 
Romans  never  came  to  it  except  as  captives  in  company  with 
Picts  and  Britons. 

In  plundering  raids  against  the  Dumbarton  Britons,  in  the 
latter  half  of  the  fourth  century,  thousands  of  captives  were 
probably  landed  on  the  coast  between  the  mouth  of  the  River 
Bann — which  runs  through  Coleraine  to  the  sea,  three  miles 
distant — and  Larne  ;  this  line  of  coast  would  measure  about 
thirty  miles,  and  it  has  several  small  natural  havens.  Some 
of  the  coins  in  the  Coleraine  collection  probably  came  over  in 
the  expedition  that  brought  Patrick  into  captivity.  He 
became  the  slave  of  Miliuc,  a  petty  king  of  North  Dalaradia. 
He  lived  in  a  valley  near  the  hill  of  Slemish,  now  called  the 
valley  of  the  Braid,  from  the  river  that  runs  through  it. 
There  is  a  township  in  the  valley  still  called  Ballyligpatrick, 
or  the  town  of  Patrick's  Hollow  ;  in  it  are  some  remains  of 
an  Irish  chieftain's  fort.^  It  is  five  miles  from  Ballymena, 
and  fifteen  from  Coleraine.  It  is  in  the  centre  of  County 
Antrim ;  the  other  district  of  Antrim,  called  Dalriada,  em- 
braced the  glens  of  Antrim  and  the  coast  from  Coleraine  to 
Larne,  not  far  from  Belfast.  It  is  not  unlikely  that  in  some 
little  harbor  between  the  Causeway  and  the  mouth  of  tlie 
Bann,  Patrick's  men-stealers  disembarked  ;  indeed,  it  is  pos- 
sible that  his  coracle,  in  company  with  others,  ascended  the 
Bann  itself  to  the  rocky  barrier  across  the  river  called  the 
"  Cutts,"  above  Coleraine,  and  there  first  touched  the  country 
which  gave  him  years  of  degradation  and  suffering,  and  a 
long  life  afterward  of  widespread  gospel  triumphs.     The  men 


1  "  Ireland  and  the  Celtic  Church,"  p.  16. 

2  Reeves'  "  Antiquities  of  Down  and  Connor,"  pp.  83,  84. 


BRITAIN  ST.  Patrick's  country.  67 

of  Dalriada  and  Dalaradia  were  heroes  in  courage  and 
Northmen  in  cruelty ;  the  Romans  as  well  as  the  inhabitants 
of  Great  Britain  had  often  lamented  their  fierceness  in  battle. 
Their  strip  of  coast  frequently  witnessed  the  triumphant 
return  of  their  frail  vessels  dangerously  freighted  with  spoils 
and  captives.  These  were  the  men  who,  early  in  the  sixth 
century,  established  the  kingdom  of  Argyle  in  Scotland, 
which  ev^entually  extended  its  dominion  over  that  entire 
country.  Even  Bede,  the  EngHshman,  who  died  in  735, 
writes  of  this  kingdom  : 

In  process  of  time,  Britain,  besides  the  Britons  and  the  Picts, 
received  a  third  nation,  the  Scots  (Irish),  who  migrating  from  Ire- 
land, under  their  leader,  Keuda,  either  by  fair  means  or  by  arms, 
secured  for  themselves  the  settlements  among  the  Picts,  which  they 
still  possess.  From  the  name  of  their  commander,  they  are  to  this 
day  called  Dalreudins.^ 

Patrick  in  his  "  Confession,"  says :  "Again,  after  a  few  years, 
I  was  in  the  Britains  with  my  parents,  who  received  me  as  a 
son,  and  earnestly  besought  me,  that  now,  at  least,  after  the 
many  hardships  I  had  endured,  I  would  never  leave  them 
again."  Patrick  unquestionably  speaks  of  the  Britains  as 
the  home  of  his  parents  from  which  they  besought  him  to 
never  depart.  Again,  writing  in  the  "  Confession  "  of  converts 
in  Ireland,  he  says:  "  Wherefore,  though  I  could  wish  to  leave 
them,  and  had  been  most  willingly  prepared  to  proceed  to  the 
Britains  as  to  my  country  and  parents ;  and  not  tbat  only,  but 
even  to  visit  the  brethren  in  the  Gauls,  and  to  see  the  face  of 
the  saints  of  my  Lord."  Patrick  could  not  more  emphatically 
pronounce  himself  a  Briton ;  and  as  if  he  wished  to  refute 
the  statement  to  be  made  by  some  in  future  ages  that  he  was 
a  native  of  Brittany,  in  France,  he  speaks  of  the  Britains  as 
entirely  distinct  from  France,  and  he  uses  the  plural  Gauls, 
which  included  every  part  of  France,  even  that  subsequently 
known  as  Brittany.  But  no  section  of  France  was  the  home 
of  any  considerable  body  of  Britons  so   as  to  give  it  t]i<  ir 

1  "  Eccles.  His.,"  Lib.  I.,  cap.  1. 


68  ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

name,  until  Patrick  was  in  his  grave.  Britons,  flying  from 
the  victorious  Angles,  Jutes,  and  Saxons,  and  from  their 
ruined  homes  and  slain  kindred,  found  a  refuge  in  Gaul  in  the 
sixth  century ;  and  after  its  settlement  by  them  it  was  called 
"Cornwall,"^  and  the  "Lesser  Britain."  There  are  strong 
reasons  for  accepting  the  statement  at  the  beginning  of  the 
celebrated  "  Tripartite  Life  of  Patrick  " :  "  As  to  Patrick, 
then  of  the  Britons  of  Ail  Cluade,  Dumbarton  was  his 
origin." 

1  Gibbon's  "  Decline  and  Fall,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  474.    McGowan. 


CHAPTER  HI. 

ST.  PATRICK    AS   A    MISSIONARY. 

Patrick's  poor  progress  in  Latin— A  vision  in  Britain  in  his  youth  calls 
him  to  Ireland— His  Roman  nobility— Redeeming  captives  from 
the  Franks— Palladius  had  Patrick  as  another  name— Probus  states 
that  Patrick  preached  in  Ireland  when  young. 

If  Patrick  was  born  about  A.  d.  360,  as  there  are  many- 
reasons  for  believing,  it  is  improbable  in  the  highest  degree  that 
he  should  defer  his  efforts  to  save  the  Irish  until  a.  d. 
432,  when  he  was  seventy-two  years  of  age,  as  "  The  Four 
Masters"  relates.'  He  speaks  in  his  "Confession"  of  being 
taken  "captive  when  a  youth,  almost  a  boy  in  speech  before 
I  knew  what  I  ought  to  seek  .  .  .  hence  I  blush  to-day, 
and  greatly  fear  to  expose  my  unskillfulness  in  the  use  of 
the  Latin  tongue.  I  have  not  learned  like  others  .  .  . 
who  have  never  changed  their  language  from  infancy,  but 
have  always  added  more  to  its  perfection."  Had  then 
Patrick  been  in  France  for  thirty  years  as  a  student  for  the 
ministry,  using  Latin  chiefly,  or  perhaps  exclusively,  with  his 
great  talents  he  would  have  been  a  splendid  Latin  scholar, 
far  beyond  his  boyish  attainments  in  that  tongue,  the  defects 
of  which  he  carried  with  him  to  Ireland  and  the  grave. 

That  Patrick's  call  to  preach  to  the  pagans  in  Ireland  came 
soon  after  his  escape  from  slavery  in  that  country  is  certain. 
He  tells  us  in  his  "Confession"  that  the  voices  which  he 
heard  in  a  vision  of  the  night  from  Ireland,  said  to  him  : 
"  We  entreat  thee,  holy  youth  (puer),  that  you  come  and 
henceforth  walk  among  us."  On  another  night,  in  reference 
evidently  to  his  call  to  Hibernia,  in  a  vision,  some  one  said  to 
him :  "  He  who  gave  his  life  for  thee,  is  he  who  speaks  in  thee." 

1 "  Annals  of  the  Kingdom  of  Ireland  "  at  a.  d.  432.    O'Donovan. 


70  ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

After  these  visions  we  are  not  surprised  to  read  in  the  same 
"  Confession  " : 

Whence  came  it  to  me  ...  to  know  God,  or  to  love  him,  that 
I  should  leave  country  and  pa7'e7its,  and  many  gifts  which  were 
offered  to  me  with  weeping  and  tears?  And  moreover  I  offended, 
against  my  wish,  certain  of  my  seniors.  But  God  overruling,  I  by 
no  means  consented  or  complied  with  them.  It  was  not  my  grace, 
but  God  who  conquered  in  me,  and  resisted  them  all,  so  that  I  came 
to  the  Irish  peoples  to  preach  the  gospel. 

The  vision  addresses  him  as  a  youth  with  parents.  The 
struggles  which  he  had  with  them  and  the  seniors,  with 
gifts,  weeping,  and  tears  to  detain  him  at  home,  point  unmis- 
takably to  Patrick  as  a  young  man,  not  long  since  delivered 
from  slavery,  and  about  to  rush  into  perils  again ;  but  God 
resisted  them  all,  and  in  early  life  "  he  came  to  the  Irish 
peoples  "  to  announce  the  tidings  of  Calvary.  The  "  Tripar- 
tite Life  "  repeats  Patrick's  own  account,  somewhat  enlarged. 
It  also  adds  :  "  The  holy  man,  w^hen  he  w^as  encouraged  and 
prompted  by  the  divine  Spirit  about  the  conversion  of  the 
Hibernians,  had  now  reached  his  thirtieth  year. "  ^ 

In  the  same  connection,  the  "  Tripartite  Life,"  after  describ- 
ing Patrick's  divine  call  to  evangelize  Ireland  at  thirty, 
relates  the  fable  that  he  spent  thirty  years  more  in  theological 
preparations  for  his  great  work  before  hearkening  to  the 
voice  of  Jehovah.  Such  contempt  for  the  divine  authority 
by  Patrick  during  so  many  long  years,  and  such  indiffer- 
ence to  the  eternal  death  of  a  whole  generation  of  idolatrous 
Irishmen,  prove  this  story  to  be  without  foundation. 

Patrick  probably  spent  a  short  time  in  useful  preparation 
in  Gaul  before  entering  upon  his  Irish  mission,  in  which  the 
Saviour  w^as  about  to  give  him  the  whole  country  as  his 
reward. 

Writing  to  Coroticus,  Patrick  says :  "  I  was  a  freeman,  ac- 
cording to  the  flesh,  having  a  decurion  for  my  father ;  but  I 
sold  my  nobility  for  the  advantage  of  others  (Irish  converts), 

IVol.  I.,  pp.  24-26. 


ST.    PATRICK    AS    A    MISSIONARY.  71 

and  I  am  neither  ashamed  nor  grieved  for  the  act."  Pat- 
rick's father  was  a  member  of  the  town  council  of  Dumbar- 
ton, one  of  the  ten  Komano-British  cities  under  the  "  Latian 
law,"  which  invested  them  with  this  privilege.^  Patrick,  as 
a  native  of  Dumbarton,  was  a  Roman  citizen  of  patrician 
rank.  This  he  sacrificed  to  preach  to  the  Hibernians.  Pat- 
rick's Roman  "nobility"  was  not  an  exjnring  distinction 
when  he  surrendered  it  for  the  honor  of  being  the  apostle  of 
Ireland  ;  the  power  of  imperial  Rome  showed  itself  as  strong 
as  ever  in  Britain  then.  So  that  Patrick  must  have  been  in 
Ireland  many  years  before  A.  d.  410,  when  the  Romans 
abandoned  Britain,  and  the  northern  barbarians  destroyed  all 
Roman  institutions  and  honors,  and  so  terrified  the  Britons 
that  their  old  masters,  for  their  temporary  defense,  loaned 
them  a  legion  which  finally  left  them  in  A.  d.  423.  Patrick's 
selection  as  a  preacher  to  the  Hibernians  was  from  God,  in 
the  end  of  the  fourth  century,  and  not  from  Pope  Celestine, 
in  A.  D.  432. 

Patrick,  in  his  epistle  to  Coroticus,  states  that  "  it  was  the 
custom  of  the  Roman  and  Gallic  Christians  to  send  godly 
and  able  men  to  the  Franks  and  other  nations,  with  many 
thousand  solidi,  for  the  purpose  of  redeeming  baptized  con- 
verts." Patrick  sent  clergymen,  as  he  informs  Coroticus,  to 
secure  some  of  his  baptized  captives,  or  the  whole  of  them,  as 
the  Gallic  and  Roman  Christians  ransomed  their  brethren 
when  seized  by  the  Franks  and  other  pagans;  but  these 
ministers  were  received  with  insolent  mockery  by  the  marau- 
ders. The  allusion  of  Patrick  to  the  Franks  shows  that  he 
must  have  written  it,  as  Whitley  Stokes  says,  "  While  tlie 
Franks  were  pagans,  before  A.  d.  496,  and  before  they  crossed 
the  Rhine,  in  A.  d.  428,  and  settled  in  Gaul  "  ; '  and  as  a  con- 
sequence, gave  up  all  future  attacks  upon  a  country  which 
was  to  bear  their  name  apparently  forever.     Patrick  wrote 

1"  Richard  of  Cirencester."  cap.  VIL,  in  "Six  Old  English  Chronicles."  p.  457. 
London. 
2"  Government  Tripartite  Life."  Intro.,  p.  CI. 


72  ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND    IRISH    CHURCHES. 

his  letter  to  Coroticus  in  Ireland,  years  before  Pope  Celestine 
is  supposed  to  have  sent  him  there. 

Patrick  uses  the  plural  Britains  for  Britain,  which  was  cus- 
tomary while  the  Romans  occupied  that  country.  In  1676, 
the  territory  of  the  present  State  of  New  Jersey  was  divided 
into  East  and  West  Jersey.  During  the  separation,  both  sec- 
tions were  called  "  The  Jerseys."  East  and  West  Jersey  were 
soon  re-united  and  called  New  Jersey.  As  already  stated,  the 
Romans  had  five  divisions  in  the  territory  in  Britain  which 
they  actually  occupied^  and  these,  in  writings  and  in  the  usage 
of  intelligent  persons,  were  uniformly  called  Britains,  just  as 
our  ancestors  spoke  of  "the  Jerseys."  This  custom  prevailed 
until  the  first  evacuation  of  Britain  by  the  Romans,  in  a.  d. 
410.  At  that  time  the  triumphant  Picts  and  Scots  celebrated 
the  embarkation  of  the  imperial  legions  by  flooding  the 
Britains  with  a  deluge  of  anarchy  and  murder  which  de- 
stroyed many  lives,  and  all  the  sectional  landmarks  and 
peculiar  institutions  of  old  Rome.  The  use  of  Britains  by 
Patrick  in  his  little  works,  shows  that  they  were  written 
before  the  evacuation  of  Britain  by  the  troops  of  the  Caesars, 
or  very  soon  after. 

We  learn  from  the  "  Chronicle  of  Prosper  of  Aquitaine," 
who  was  born  in  a.  d.  402,  and  died  in  a.  d.  463,  that  Palla- 
dius  was  ordained  by  Pope  Celestine,  and  sent  to  the  Scots  (the 
Irish)  believing  in  Christ  (in  Christum  credentes)  as  their 
first  bishop.  "The  Four  Masters  "  ^  tells  us  that  Palladius 
was  sent  to  Ireland  by  Pope  Celestine  I.,  and  that  he  baptized 
a  few  persons  in  Ireland  and  erected  three  wooden  churches, 
one  of  which  was  "  Teach  na  Romhan  " — house  of  the  Romans. 
He  left  because  he  did  not  receive  respect  in  Ireland.  Pal- 
ladius came  to  a  community  already  believing  in  Christ. 
There  is  no  hint  given  that  his  charge  consisted  of  pagans, 
and  if  there  had  been,  the  accusation  W'Ould  probably  have 
been  as  false  as  that  which  Adrian  IV.  made  against  the 

"  The  Annals  of  the  Kingdom  of  Ireland,"  O'Donovan,  at  a.  d.  430. 


ST.    PATRICK   AS   A    MISSIONARY.  73 

Irish  Christians  in  the  twelfth  century  in  his  famous  bull, 
giving  Ireland  to  Henry  II.,  king  of  England,  in  which, 
speaking  of  Henry's  object,  he  says :  "  You  strive  to  extend 
the  boundaries  of  the  church,  to  proclaim  the  truths  of  Chris- 
tianity to  an  uneducated  and  rude  people."  ^ 

Adrian  assumes  that  Ireland  was  outside  the  Christian 
church ;  there  was  no  pretense  for  such  a  charge  in  his  day, 
and  it  is  not  made  against  the  Irish  at  the  coming  of  Palla- 
dius.  It  is  not  hinted  that  the  believers  in  Christ  were  only 
few  and  scattered  ;  enough  for  a  nucleus,  but  no  more.  The 
representation  of  Prosper  gives  countenance  to  the  conviction 
that  Irish  Christians  were  numerous  when  it  was  necessary 
for  the  distant  bishop  of  Rome  to  send  an  ecclesiastical  over- 
seer for  their  especial  advantage.  The  "  Anglo-Saxon  Chron- 
icle "  writes  of  Palladius,  at  A.  d.  430  :  "  This  year,  Palladius 
the  bishop,  was  sent  to  the  Scots  (Irish)  by  Pope  Celestine, 
that  he  might  confirm  their  faith."  ^ 

In  this  record  there  is  an  intimation  that  the  Scots  were 
already  converted,  and  needed  a  skillful  leader  to  establish 
them  in  the  true  faith.  In  Fordun's  "  Scoto-Chronicon,"  it  is 
recorded  :  "  Durst,  who  is  otherwise  called  Nectane,  the  son-  of 
Irb,  reigned  forty-five  years ;  in  his  reign,  St.  Palladius,  the 
bishop,  was  sent  by  the  blessed  Pope  Celestine  to  teach  the 
Scots  (Irish),  long  before,  however,  believing  in  Christ."  ^ 
Fordun's  view  does  not  come  in  collision  with  the  statements 
of  Prosper,  the  "Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle,"  or  the  "Four 
Masters,"  and  in  its  more  enlarged  declaration  it  is  nearer 
the  truth.  Probably,  except  in  remote  regions,  the  Irish 
people  were  converted  when  Palladius  landed.  St.  Patrick 
and  his  preachers  were  the  instruments  of  this  great  work, 
but  they  were  ignored  by  Palladius  and  Celestine.  Palladius 
was  the  first  Romish  primate  of  the  Irish  Christians  and  the 
last  until  Malachi  appeared  in  the  twelfth  century.     Patrick, 

'>■  Giraldus  Cambrensis'  "  Conquest  of  Ireland,"  Lib.  IT.,  cap.  6. 

2  Bede's  "  Eccles.  Hist,  and  Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle,"  p.  ;^08.    London,  1870. 

3  Quoted  in  Nicholson's  "  St.  Patrick,"  p.  66.    Dublin,  1868. 

G 


74  ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND    IRISH   CHURCHES. 

however,  was  their  teacher  before  the  brief  ministry  of  Pal- 
ladius,  and  most  probably  during  and  after  it.  One  of  the 
remarkable  acts  of  Palladius  was  to  call  one  of  the  three 
little  churches  which  he  built,  "  The  House  of  the  Romans." 
It  is  not  unlikely  that  in  this  edifice  some  service  peculiarly 
Roman  was  celebrated.  While  Patrick  had  no  liturgy,  this 
unusual  observance  may  have  prompted  the  lack  of  respect 
which,  according  to  the  "  Four  Masters,"  led  to  the  with- 
drawal of  Palladius  from  Ireland.  Tirechan,  in  the  latter 
half  of  the  seventh  century,  states  that  Palladius,  who  was 
sent  by  Pope  Celestine  to  Ireland,  "  was  called  Patrick  by 
another  name."  ^ 

The  unfortunate  addition  of  Patrick  to  the  name  of  Pal- 
ladius has,  as  many  judge,  originated  the  absurdity  about 
Patrick's  sixty  years  of  age  when  he  began  his  labors  in 
Ireland,  though  he  was  less  than  thirty,  and  the  fable  about 
his  commission  from  Pope  Celestine.  The  sixty  years  of  Pal- 
ladius Patrick,  his  Gaulish  birth,  his  papal  commission,  and 
A.  D.  431  when  he  landed  in  Ireland,  instead  of  the  end  of 
the  fourth  century  when  Patrick  commenced  his  Irish  mis- 
sion, reckoned  to  Patrick  the  apostle  of  Ireland,  have  created 
the  mass  of  confusion  in  which,  to  many,  the  history  of  St. 
Patrick  is  involved. 

Dr.  Lanigan,  a  learned  Catholic  historian,  writes :  "  It  is 
universally  admitted  that  there  were  Christian  congregations 
in  Ireland  before  the  mission  of  Palladius,  which  took  place 
in  A.  D.  431."^  These  communities  must  have  had  ministers 
who  gathered  and  presided  over  them. 

Probus,'  a  credible  author  of  the  tenth  century,  in  his 
"Life  of  Patrick"  gives  an  account  of  his  course  which 
agrees  mainly  with  his  own.  "  While  in  Gaul,  the  angel  of 
the  Lord,"  he  states,  "  appeared  to  St.  Patrick,  saying,  '  Go  to 
St.  Senior,  the  bishop  who  is  in  Mount  Hermon ; '  .  .  .  and 

1  Tirechan's  Collections  in  "  Government  Tripartite  Life,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  332. 

'  Lanigan's  "  Eccles.  Hist,  of  Ireland,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  9. 

'  In  "  Government  Tripartite  Life,"  Introduction,  p.  139. 


ST.    PATRICK   AS   A   MISSIONARY.  75 

when  he  arrived  there  he  remained  for  some  days  with  him, 
and  the  bishop  ordained  him  to  the  priesthood;  and  he 
studied  with  him  for  a  considerable  period."  While  he 
tarried  there,  Probus  tells  us  that  he  heard  in  a  vision  the 
voices  of  youths  in  Ireland,  saying:  "  Come,  holy  Patrick,  and 
save  us  from  the  wrath  to  come."  According  to  Probus, 
Patrick  wanted  the  approval  of  the  Most  High  upon  his 
Irish  mission,  and  he  declined  the  journey  until  he  had  seen 
the  Lord ;  and  in  his  interview  with  him  he  commanded  him 
"to  go  into  Ireland  and  proclaim  in  it  the  doctrine  of  ever- 
lasting salvation  ...  and  Patrick  arose,  and  came  into 
Hibernia;  and  forthwith  the  prophets  of  Ireland  foretold 
that  Patrick  would  come  there.  But  when  the  islanders 
treated  him  with  scorn  as  he  preached  day  and  night, 
although  they  could  not  resist  the  appointment  of  God,"  he 
was  discouraged,  and  "  not  long  after,  Patrick,  the  man  of 
God,  left  Ireland  "  He  was  unsuccessful  in  his  labors,  and 
for  a  time  abandoned  his  mission.  A  man  of  Patrick's  hero- 
ism and  perseverence  would  not  leave  the  perishing  Hiber- 
nians even  temporarily  without  many  a  brave  struggle.  Pass- 
ing over  some  interpolations  in  Probus,  he  informs  us  in  his 
twenty-first  chapter  that  Patrick  looked  for  encouragement 
and  help  in  his  distress  to  Gaul  and  not  to  Rome.  He 
says: 

Patrick  sailed  over  the  British  Sea,  and  turning  into  the  Gauls, 
traveling  as  he  projoosed  in  his  heart,  he  came  to  the  most  pious 
and  the  most  distinguished  man  in  faith  and  doctrine,  Germanus,  the 
bishop  of  Auxerre,  the  eminent  primate  of  nearly  the  whole  of  Gaul. 
With  him  he  remained  not  a  little  time  in  all  subjection,  with 
patience,  obedience,  charity,  chastity,  and  all  purity  of  spirit  and 
life.^  Whilst  he  delayed  there  many  days,  the  angel  of  the  Lord  came 
to  him  in  frequent  visions,  telling  him  that  the  time  to  go  to  Hibernia 
had  now  come,  that  he  might  convert  to  Christ  by  the  preaching  of 
the  gospel  the  fierce  and  barbarous  peoples  for  whose  instruction  he 
had  been  appointed. 

A  fit  time  having  come,  with  godly  counsel  he  set  out  for  the 
service  to  which  he  was  thought  worthy  of  a  call  from  God.  And 
Germanus  sent  with  him  Kegirus,  a  presbyter,  that  he  might  have 


76  ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

him  as  a  suitable  companion  and  witness  in  all  his  travels  and 
labors.* 

Probus  also  informs  us,  that  Patrick  received  the  grade  of  a 
bishop  from  Amator,  a  Gallic  prelate,  and  sailed  from  Gaul 
into  Britain  for  his  Irish  field  It  is  said  that  after  grievous 
and  long  continued  discouragements  he  returned  to  Gaul,  and 
spent  four  years  in  study  with  Germanus  of  Auxerre  ;  and 
that  he  was  directed  by  him,  after  receiving  episcopal  conse- 
cration from  a  bishop  of  Gaul,  and  without  visiting  Rome, 
to  resume  his  missionary  work  in  Ireland.  He  went  to  Ire- 
land a  third  time,  a  second  as  a  missionary  with  Gaulish 
assistants  and  funds  to  aid  his  work.^  This  information 
about  Patrick  is  more  like  the  truth  than  his  "  Lives  "  gener- 
ally give. 

To  show  that  Patrick  began  his  missionary  labors  in 
Ireland  while  yet  a  young  man,  he  speaks  emphatically  of 
leaving  country  and  j^arents  that  he  might  preach  the  gospel 
to  the  Hibernians.  Three  times  in  the  "  Confession "  and 
"Letter  to  Coroticus"  he  mentions  the  abandonment  of  his 
parents  as  well  as  of  his  country  for  missionary  duties.  These 
references  to  the  separation  from  his  parents  in  going  to  Ire- 
land would  be  extremely  absurd  if  he  were  not  a  young  man. 

Patrick  uses  decided  words  about  his  youthful  years  on  be- 
ginning his  ministry  in  Ireland.  In  his  ''  Confession"  he  writes 
for  his  Irish  friends,  "  You  know  and  God  knows  how  I  have 
lived  among  you  from  my  youth,  faithful  to  truth,  and  sincere 
in  heart."  ^  That  Patrick  was  a  missionary  in  Ireland  in  the 
end  of  the  fourth  century,  when  he  was  thirty  years  of  age  or 
less,  is  absolutely  certain.  And  though  he  labored  without 
much  success  for  some  years,  finally  the  songs  of  his  multi- 
tudes of  converts  filled  all  Ireland  with  hallelujahs. 

1  "Government  Tripartite  Life,"  Introduction,  p,  139. 

2  Ibid.,  Introduction,  p.  141. 

3  Vos  scitis  pt  Deus  qualiter  apud  vos  conversatus  sum  a  juventute  mea,  et  fide 
veritatis  et  sinceritatis  cordis. 


CHAPTER  IV. 
Patrick's  supposed  mission  from  rome. 

Lives  of  St.  Patrick  are  interpolated  with  fables— Tirech an  and  Pat- 
rick's Kojiian  commission — The  choirs  of  heaven,  Rome,  and  Irish 
Fochlut  singresponsively  at  Patrick's  ordination  in  Rome— Patrick 
stealing  relics  in  Rome— Patrick's  "Confession"  unfavorable  to 
Rome — His  love  for  Gallic  brethren— No  pope  writes  a  joyful  letter 
over  his  baptism  of  twelve  thousand  in  a  well  in  Connaught. 

TiRECHAN,  in  the  seventh  century,  says  that  "  Palladius, 
the  bishop,  was  sent  to  Ireland  first ;  he  was  called  Patrick 
by  another  name  ;  then  Patrick  the  second  was  sent  by  the 
angel  of  God  called  Victor,  and  by  Pope  Celestine,  through 
whom  all  Hibernia  believed."  ^  Tirechan's  second  Patrick 
was  the  apostle  of  Ireland.  Tirechan  is  the  first  writer  who 
gives  Patrick  a  Roman  commission  ;  he  composed  his  work 
about  two  hundred  years  after  the  death  of  Patrick.  He 
was  familiar  with  Patrick's  "Confession,"  and  he  makes  a 
mistake  in  a  quotation  from  it. 

When  Patrick,  toward  the  end  of  the  "  Confession,"  speaks 
of  the  expense  he  incurred  in  securing  protection  from  the 
judges  in  the  regions  which  he  more  frequently  visited,  he 
states  that  "  He  thought  he  distributed  among  them  not  less 
than  the  price  of  fifteen  men  "  [slaves].  Tirechan  makes  it 
twelve,  with  St.  Patrick's  memorable  little  work  before  him.  -' 
Tirechan  relates  that  St.  Patrick  was  captured  "  in  his  tenth 
year,"  ^  and  not  when  "  he  was  nearly  sixteen  years  of  age," 
33  Patrick  himself  says.  Tirechan  tells  some  incredible 
stories  about  Patrick ;  he  relates  that  when 

He  came  into  White  field,  he  found  in  it  the  sign  of  the  cross  of 
Christ  and  two  new  graves,  and  the  saint  called  from  his  carriage: 

1  Tirechan's  Collections,  "  Government  Tripartite  Life,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  332, 

2  Ibid.,  p.  310.  3  Ibid.,  p.  331. 

77 


78  ANCIENT   BRITISH    AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

"Who  is  buried  here?"  And  a  voice  answered  from  the  grave: 
"Behold,  I  am  a  heathen  man."  The  saint  replied  :  "Why  is  the 
sacred  cross  planted  near  you  ?  "  And  again  he  responded  :  "  Because 
there  was  a  man  buried  near  my  side,  whose  mother  requested  that  a 
cross  should  be  placed  at  the  grave  of  her  son,  but  the  senseless  fellow 
planted  it  near  me."  Then  Patrick  stepped  down  from  his  carriage 
and  seized  the  cross,  and  pulled  it  up  from  the  sepulchre  of  the  pagan 
and  placed  it  above  the  face  of  the  baptized  man,  and  mounting  his 
carriage,  he  offered  silent  prayer  to  God. 

Tirechan  tells  about  a  man's  monstrous  grave,  one  hundred 
and  twenty  feet  long,  which  Patrick  saw,  and  which  led  him 
to  w^ork  a  great  miracle ;   he  writes : 

That  he  struck  with  his  staff  the  stone  at  his  head,  and  made  the 
sign  of  the  cross  upon  the  grave  and  said:  "Open  the  grave,  O 
Lord."  And  the  saint  opened  the  ground,  and  the  man,  large  and 
sound,  arose  and  said  :  "  May  you  be  blessed,  O  pious  man,  because 
you  have  called  me  even  for  one  hour  from  so  much  anguish." 
Uttering  these  words  he  wept  most  bitterly  and  said:  "I  shall  go 
with  you."  They  replied  :  "  We  are  not  fit  to  have  you  go  with  us, 
for  the  men  cannot  look  at  your  face  through  fear  of  you;  but  put 
your  trust  in  the  God  of  heaven  and  receive  the  baptism  of  the  Lord, 
and  you  shall  not  return  to  the  place  in  which  you  were;  .  .  .  and 
he  confessed  God,  and  was  baptized  and  rasted,  and  was  placed  again 
in  his  grave.  1 

These  and  other  so-called  miracles  in  Tirechan,  in  connec- 
tion with  his  contradictions  of  St.  Patrick's  "  Confession " 
from  which  he  quotes,  show  that  his  reckless  credulity,  and 
his  intentional  or  other  historical  mistakes,  lessen  the  force  of 
his  testimony  in  every  case.  They  do  not  deprive  his  work 
of  all  value,  but  his  statements  need  corroboration  from  cir- 
cumstances or  witnesses.  This  unreliable  biographer  is  the 
first  author  to  assert  St.  Patrick's  papal  mission  to  Ireland. 

In  the  "  Tripartite  Life  "  it  is  recorded  that— 

Patrick  went  to  Rome  to  have  [ecclesiastical]  orders  given  him; 
and  Celestine,  abbot  [pope]  of  Rome,  he  it  is  that  read  orders  over 
him,  Germanus  and  Amatho,  king  of  the  Romans,  being  present 
with  them  .  .  .  and  when  the  orders  were  being  read,  the  three 
choirs  mutually  responded,  namely,  the  choir  of  the  household  of 

1  Tirechau'8  Collections,  "  Government  Tripartite  Life,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  324. 


Patrick's  supposed  mission  from  rome.       79 

heaven,  and  the  choir  of  the  Eomans,  and  the  choir  of  the  children 
from  the  wood  of  Fochlut,  in  Ireland.  This  is  what  all  sang:  "  All 
we  Irish  beseech  thee,  Holy  Patrick,  to  come  and  walk  among  us, 
and  to  free  us.^  ' 

There  must  have  been  a  very  unusual  musical  combination 
on  this  occasion,  when  the  melting  melody  of  paradise  in  vast 
volumes  fell  upon  Rome,  when  the  sacred  music  of  the 
eternal  city  was  poured  forth,  and  when  the  wild  strains  of 
"  Fochlut "  passed  over  oceans  and  mountains  and  mingled 
with  the  chants  of  Rome  and  heaven  at  Patrick's  ordination 
by  Celestine.  The  choirs  of  heaven  and  Rome  were  as  Irish 
as  the  choir  of  "  Fochlut,"  for  one  song  sounded  from  the  lips 
of  the  celestial  and  terrestrial  musicians,  "All  we  Irish 
beseech  thee,  Holy  Patrick,  to  come  and  walk  among  us,  and 
to  free  us."  The  imagination  of  this  biographer  of  Patrick 
about  the  union  of  choirs  is  very  vivid,  but  it  is  equalled  in 
his  representation  of  Patrick's  ordination  by  Celestine, 
"  abbot  "  of  Rome.  The  "  Tripartite  Life,"  from  which  the 
extract  is  taken,  "  was  compiled  in  the  eleventh  century 
from  documents,  many,  or  all  of  which,  were  composed  before 
A.  D.  1000." 

Patrick's  Roman  mission  is  otherwise  recorded  in  the 
"Lebar  Brecc.  A  Homily  on  St.  Patrick,"  in  the  Irish 
language  of  the  thirteenth  century : 

The  angel  brought  Patrick  to  Capua,  on  Mount  Armon,  and  the 
Lord  spake  to  him  in  that  place,  as  he  spoke  to  Moses  on  Mount 
Sinai,  and  told  him  to  go  and  preach  to  the  Gael  [Irish],  and  he  gave 
him  therein  Jesus'  staff.  Wherefore  it  was  according  to  the  will  of 
the  synod  of  Rome  and  of  the  angel  and  of  the  Lord  that  Patrick  came 
to  Ireland. 

Journeying  to   Hibernia,    he   entered   a  vessel   "  on  the 

strand  of  the  sea  of  Britain."     When  Patrick  went  on  board, 

a  leper  sought  permission  to  go  with  him,  but  there  was  no 

vacant  place  for  the  leper  : 

So  Patrick  put  out  before  him  to  swim  in  the  sea  the  portable  stone 

1  "  Government  Tripartite  Life,"  pp.  32,  33. 


80  ANCIENT   BRITISH    AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

altar  whereon  he  used  to  make  offering  every  day.  But  for  all  that 
God  wrought  a  great  miracle  here,  to  wit,  the  stone  went  not  to  the 
bottom,  nor  did  it  stay  behind  them ;  but  it  swam  round  about  the 
boat  with  tlie  leper  on  it  until  it  arrived  in  Ireland.^ 

"  The  staff  of  Jesus,"  says  Giraldus  Cambrensis,  "  deservedly 
holds  the  first  place  among  all  the  croziers  and  other  relics  in 
wood  of  the  saints."  ^  It  occupies  a  conspicuous  position  in 
the  ecclesiastical  history  of  Ireland.  This  "  famous  staff,"  and 
a  celebrated  copy  of  tlie  Gospels,  were,  according  to  the  great 
Bernard  of  Clairvaux,  in  his  "Life  of  St.  Malachi"  of 
Armagh,  the  necessary  titles  to  the  primatial  see  of  Armagh.^ 
The  fabulous  story  of  the  gift  of  this  staff  by  the  Lord  to  Pat- 
rick, and  of  his  trip  to  Ireland,  with  his  portable  stone  altar 
floating  around  his  boat  and  supporting  the  leper,  inspire  in- 
credulity about  his  voyage  to  Rome  and  commission  therefrom. 

We  learn  in  the  ''Tripartite  Life,"  that  Patrick  leil 
Sechnall  in  charge  of  the  Irish  churches  and  sailed  to  Bor- 
deaux, and  journeyed  to  Eome ;  and  that 

Sleep  came  over  the  inhabitants  of  Eome,  so  that  Patrick  brought 
away  as  much  as  he  wanted  of  the  relics.  Afterward  these  relics  were 
taken  to  Armagh,  by  the  counsel  of  God  and  the  counsel  of  the  men 
of  Ireland.  There  were  brought  there  three  hundred  and  three  score 
and  five  relics,  together  with  the  relics  of  Peter  and  Paul  and  Lau- 
rence and  Stephen,  and  many  others.  And  a  sheet  was  there  with 
Christ's  blood  [thereon],  and  with  the  hair  of  the  virgin.* 

This  entire  relic- stealing  story  would  not  be  a  greater 
slander  if  alleged  against  John  Knox  or  John  Calvin.  The 
evidence  in  favor  of  a  Roman  commission  for  Patrick  is 
forged,  made  incredible  by  attendant  fables,  and  first  dis- 
covered long  alter  Patrick's  death. 

There  is  strong  evidence  that  Patrick  had  no  Roman  com- 
mission in  Ireland.  His  "  Confession  "  is  an  account  of  the 
triumphant  efforts  of  grace  in  the  heart  and  life  of  a  believer 

1  In  "Government  Tripartite  Life,"  Vol  II.,  pp.  447,  448. 

«  "  Topograi>hy  of  Ireland,"  Dist.  III.,  cap.  34, 

3  "  Opera  Omnia  Vita  St.  Malachise,"  Tom.  I.,  cap.  12,  p.  619.    Parisiis,  1690. 

*  "Government  Tripartite  Life  of  Patrick,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  239. 


Patrick's  supposed  mission  from  rome.      81 

of  unusual  humility,  and  of  a  heroic  missionary,  blessed  with 
successes  never  surpassed ;  it  is  one  of  the  most  important 
little  works  ever  written.  It  has  a  charm  for  the  devout 
reader  of  all  ages,  countries,  and  Christian  communities. 
Running  through  it  there  is  a  spirit  of  self-defense  which 
cannot  fail  to  arrest  attention.  In  the  "Confession"  he 
writes:  "And  if,  perhaps,  it  appears  to  some  that  I  put 
myself  forward  in  this  matter  with  my  ignorance  and  slower 
tongue,  it  is,  however,  written  :  '  Stammering  tongues  shall 
learn  quickly  to  speak  peace.'  How  much  more  ought  we  to 
aim  at  this,  we,  who  are  the  '  epistle  of  Christ.'  " 

Again ;  "  Be  ye  astonished,  both  great  and  small,  who  fear 
God ;  .  .  .  who  aroused  me,  a  fool,  from  the  midst  of  those 
who  appear  to  be  wise  and  skilled  in  the  laws,  and  powerful 
in  speech  and  every  matter  ?  " 

Because  many  were  hindering  this  mission,  and  already  were  talk- 
ing among  themselves,  and  saying  behind  my  back:  "Why  does 
this  fellow  put  himself  into  danger  among  enemies  who  know  not 
God?  "  Not  as  tliough  they  spoke  for  the  sake  of  malice,  but  because 
it  was  not  a  wise  thing  in  their  opinion,  as  I  myself  also  testify,  on 
account  of  my  defect  in  learning. 

Very  much  in  tho  tone  and  language  of  the  "  Confession  " 
is  apologetic  and  defensive.  Why  did  not  Patrick  in  his  final 
vindication  of  the  Hibernian  mission  publish  a  commission 
from  Pope  Celestine,  if  he  had  one?  It  would  have  had 
much  weight  with  all  who  reverenced  dignity  and  worldly  im- 
portance, and  cared  nothing  for  Protestant  Bible  principles. 
It  is  impossible,  in  view  of  Patrick's  acknowledged  sagacity 
to  account  for  his  silence  in  the  "  Confession  "  about  Celestine's 
commission,  except  upon  the  ground  that  he  never  had  it. 

Dr.  Todd  says  i 

The  "Confession"  of  St.  Patrick  contains  not  a  word  of  a  mis- 
sion from  Pof)e  Celestine.  One  object  of  the  writer  was  to  defend 
himself  from  the  charge  of  presumption  in  having  undertaken  such  a 
work  as  the  conversion  of  the  Irish,  rude  and  unlearned  as  he  was. 
Had  he  received  a  regular  commission  from  the  see  of  Rome,  that  fact 
alone  would  be  an  unanswerable  reply.     But  he  makes  no  mention 


82  ANCIENT    BKITISH    AND   IRISH    CHURCHES. 

of  Pope  Celestine,  and  rests  his  defense  altogether  on  the  divine  call 
which  he  believed  himself  to  have  received  for  the  work.^ 

Patrick  held  his  friends  in  loving  regard.  That  Gaulish 
Christians  had  much  to  do  in  preparing  him  for  his  work  is 
the  testimony  of  all  tradition  ;  and  that  they  gave  him  fellow- 
laborers  and  funds  we  have  many  reasons  for  believing.  He 
felt  bound  to  them  by  peculiar  ties ;  and  in  his  "  Confession," 
prepared  in  full  prospect  of  an  early  entrance  into  heaven, 
speaking  of  his  converts,  he  says  : 

Wherefore,  though  I  could  wish  to  leave  them,  and  had  been  most 
willingly  prepared  to  proceed  to  the  Britains,  as  to  my  country  and 
parents;  and  not  that  only,  but  even  as  far  as  to  the  Gauls, 
to  visit  the  brethren,  and  to  see  the  face  of  the  saints  of  my 
Lord— God  knows  that  I  greatly  desired  it ;  but  I  am  bound  in  the 
Spirit,  who  witnesseth  to  me,  that  if  I  should  do  this  he  would  hold 
me  guilty  ;  and  I  fear  to  lose  the  labor  I  have  commenced  ;  and  not 
I,  but  Christ  the  Lord,  who  commanded  me  to  come  and  be  with 
them  for  the  rest  of  my  life. 

Patrick  had  a  strong  desire  to  visit  his  kindred,  and  perhaps 
a  more  earnest  wish  to  see  the  face  of  his  Lord's  saints  in 
Gaul ;  and  only  the  Holy  Spirit  and  the  Redeemer  hindered 
the  visit. 

If  the  apostle  of  Ireland  had  been  an  agent  of  Rome,  it  is 
certain,  that  as  Celestine  did  not  live  during  Patrick's  spirit- 
ual harvests,  that  Sixtus,  his  successor,  or  Leo  the  Great,  who 
followed  him,  would  call  the  attention  of  the  leading  bishops 
of  Christendom  to  the  astonishing  miracles  of  converting  grace 
wrought  in  Ireland  by  St.  Patrick  and  his  disciples.  When 
the  tidings  reached  Gregory  the  Great  in  Rome  that  his  mis- 
sionary in  England,  Augustine,  had  recently  baptized  a  mul- 
titude of  converts  from  heathenism  in  the  river  Swale,  in  that 
country,  he  wrote  the  following  in  a  letter,  still  preserved  in 
his  works,  to  Eulogius,  patriarch  of  Alexandria : 

More  than  ten  thousand  English,  they  tell  us,  were  baptized  by 
the  same  brother  [Augustine],  our  fellow-bishop,  which  I  communi- 
cate to  you,  that  you  may  know  something  to  announce  to  the  people 

»  Todd's  "  St.  Patrick,  the  Apostle  of  Ireland,"  pp.  310,  351,  352.    Dublin,  1864. 


Patrick's  supposed  mission  from  rome.       83 

of  Alexandria,  and  that  you  may  do  something  in  prayer  for  the 
dwellers  at  the  ends  of  the  earth. ^ 

Gregory  could  not  keep  such  news  to  himself,  and  there  is 
reason  to  believe  that  he  sent  many  similar  epistles  to  leading 
bishops  throughout  the  world. 

Patrick's  biographers,  with  other  great  baptisms,  write  of 
one :  "  And  in  that  day  twelve  thousand  were  baptized  in 
the  well  of  Oen-Adarc,"  and  among  them  "  the  seven  sons  of 
Amalgaid,  with  the  king  himself."  ^  Tidings  of  this  baptism, 
through  British  and  Gaulish  Christians,  must  speedily  have 
traveled  all  over  the  West ;  and  Kome,  the  centre  of  intelli- 
gence for  every  quarter  of  Europe,  heard  ail  about  it ;  but 
the  successors  of  the  dead  Pope  Celestine  paid  no  attention  to 
the  missionary's  triumphs  whom  he  was  supposed  to  have  sent 
to  Ireland.  There  is  not  a  written  word  from  one  of  them  re- 
joicing over  Patrick's  additions  to  their  church,  showing 
clearly  that  he  was  no  Roman  missionary.  Had  he  been,  the 
old  Te  Deum  would  have  been  chanted  in  every  church  in 
Rome,  and  in  the  great  temples  of  Constantinople,  Alexan- 
dria, Antioch,  and  Jerusalem,  with  the  sublimest  music  then 
on  earth  to  celebrate  Patrick's  religious  triumphs.  So  com- 
pletely buried  was  Patrick  and  his  work  by  popes  and  other 
Roman  Catholics,  that  in  their  epistles  and  larger  publica- 
tions, his  name  does  not  once  occur  in  one  of  them  until  A.  d. 
634,  when  Cummian,^  an  obscure  but  learned  Irish  Romanist, 
speaks  of  the  cycle  of  "  our  holy  father  Patrick,"  in  a  long 
letter  to  the  abbot  of  lona.  This  epistle  was  not  written  until 
Patrick  had  been  about  one  hundred  and  seventy  years  in  his 
grave. 

1  "  Gregor,  Mag.,"  Tom.  Ill,,  Lib.  8,  Ep.  30,  p.  952.   Migne,  ParisUfc 

2  "  Government  Tripartite  Life  of  Patrick,"  p.  135. 
Ussher's  Works,  Vol.  IV.,  p.  432. 


CHAPTER  V. 
Patrick's  roman  commission  unauthenticated. 

Prosper  does  not  notice  Patrick— His  account  of  Pelagianism  in 
Britain — Bede  does  not  mention  him — Muirchu  in  the  seventh  cen- 
tury denies  that  Patrick  went  to  Kome — Fiacc's  hymn  knows  noth- 
ing of  the  Roman  commission— The  hymn  of  Secundinus  leaves  no 
place  in  Patrick's  creed  for  the  papacy. 

Prosper,  of  Aquitaine,  who  died  in  A.  d.  463,  when  sixty- 
two  years  of  ^ge,  was  familiar  with  the  acts  of  the  popes  in 
his  day  and  sustained  friendly  relations  with  them. 

He  knew  something  of  the  religious  condition  of  Ireland, 
and  he  writes  that  "  Palladius  was  ordained  by  Pope  Celes- 
tine  and  sent  to  the  Scots,  believing  in  Christ  as  their  first 
bishop."  As  St.  Patrick  was  warmly  attached  to  some  Gallic 
brethren,  and  among  them,  it  is  almost  certain,  to  the  elo- 
quent Germanus,  known  all  over  France,  and  as  the  life  of 
Prosper  ran  along  probably  the  whole  successful  part  of  St. 
Patrick's  missionary  career  in  Ireland,  Prosper  must  have 
known  as  much  of  his  course  in  Ireland  as  Germanus,  or  any 
of  his  other  Gaulish  brethren.  And  if  Celestine  sent  Pat- 
rick to  Ireland,  it  seems  to  us  impossible  that  Prosper  could 
be  ignorant  of  it.  As  he  is  silent  about  the  pope's  favor  to 
Patrick,  .it  certainly  may  be  concluded  that  he  had  no  mission 
from  Celestine.  He  says  nothing  of  the  greatest  success  ever 
given  to  a  missionary  of  Christ,  apparently  because  he  was 
not  a  Romanist.  Bower,  in  his  "  History  of  the  Popes," 
speaking  of  the  prevalence  of  the  Pelagian  heresy  in  Britain, 
says : 

The  Catholics,  having  no  prospect  of  relief  from  their  own  pastors, 
♦  had  recourse  to  those  of  Gaul,  who    .     .     .    summoned  a  great  coun- 
cil and  chose  with  one  voice  St.  Germanus,  bishop  of  Auxerre,  and 
St.  Lupus,    bishop  of  Troyes,  to  pass  over  into  Britain,  and  there 
maintain  the  Catholic  cause. 
84 


ROMAN   COMMISSION   UNAUTHENTIC ATED.  85 

Thus  Constantine  writes  in  his  ancient  "  Life  of  Germanus." 
But  Prosper,  who  lived  in  the  fifth  century,  states  that  the 
**  two  prelates  were  sent  into  Britain  by  Pope  Celestine." 
Bower  adds :  .  .  .  "  Prosper  was  a  notorious  flatterer  of 
the  popes,  and  ascribed  the  whole  to  Celestine."  ^ 

Without  a  Roman  commission,  Prosper  could  not  record 
Patrick's  labors  in  Ireland,  as  he  registered  the  mission  of 
Palladius,  and  the  authority  of  the  pope  who  sent  him.  As 
Patrick's  churches  in  Ireland,  like  their  brethren  in  Britain, 
repudiated  the  supremacy  of  the  popes,  all  knowledge  of  the 
conversion  of  Ireland  through  his  ministry  must  be  sup- 
pressed, as  completely  as  the  silence  of  this  "  notorious  flat- 
terer of  the  popes  "  can  secure  it. 

Bede  never  speaks  of  St.  Patrick  in  his  celebrated  "  Eccle- 
siastical History."  His  accuracy  in  general  cannot  be  ques- 
tioned ;  his  information  about  Patrick's  followers  in  Scotland 
and  England  is  verv  extensive  and  reliable.  His  account  of 
their  differences  from  the  Romish  Church  in  Britain,  of 
which  he  was  a  member,  is  universally  regarded  as  truthful. 
No  Protestant  could  speak  more  highly  of  some  of  these 
ancient  enemies  of  the  pope's  authority  than  Bede.  He  gives 
a  brief  account  of  the  extensive  usefulness  of  Ninian,^  a 
Briton,  sent  from  Rome  as  a  missionary  to  the  southern  Picts, 
in  A.  D.  400.  He  states  that  "  Palladius  was  sent  by  Pope 
Celestine  to  the  Scots  believing  in  Christ,"  ^  that  is,  to  the 
Irish,  to  whom  he  went,  and  commenced  an  unsuccessful  mis- 
sion ;  but  not  a  word  about  St.  Patrick,  whose  very  fruitful 
labors  placed  him  outside  the  range  of  comparison  with  these 
worthies.  From  details  which  he  has  left  us  about  his  meth- 
ods for  securing  reliable  materials  for  his  work,  we  learn  that 
he  was  most  painstaking.  He  secured  copies  of  bulls  from 
Xothelm,  afterward  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  while  on  a 
visit  to  Rome,  "  from  the  archives  of  the  holy  Roman  Church, 


1  Vol.  I.,  p.  174.    Philadelphia,  1844. 
"  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  III.,  cap.  4.  »  Ibid.,  Lib.  I.,  p.  13. 


86  ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

by  permission  of  Gregory  III.,  some  of  which  appear  in  his 
history."  ^  The  labors  of  Patrick's  religious  descendants 
were  unusually  blessed  in  Northumbria,  in  England,  where 
Bede  spent  his  life.  For  a  time  they  had  the  supreme  spirit- 
ual control  of  that  great  kingdom.  No  more  saintly  hero 
appears  in  the  "  Ecclesiastical  History  "  of  Bede  than  King 
Oswald ;  no  more  heavenly  minded  ecclesiastic  than  Bishop 
Aidan ;  and  no  more  talented,  holy,  and  useful  woman  than 
St.  Hilda,  from  whose  learned  school  at  Whitby,  Csedmon 
graduated,  the  first  great  Anglo-Saxon  poet,  together  with 
large  numbers  of  other  persons  distinguished  by  love  for  the 
Scriptures  and  by  much  worth.  These  saints,  canonized  by 
all  Northumbria,  as  Bede  in  substance  informs  US',  belonged 
to  the  church  of  the  Scots  (the  Irish),  who  held  no  commu- 
nion with  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  founded  in  England  by 
Augustine  and  his  assistants,  and  sent  there  by  Gregory  the 
Great.  The  friction  caused  by  these  two  differing  commu- 
nities attracted  general  attention  over  the  entire  north  of 
England.  The  Scottish  Church  in  that  country  was  crushed 
by  the  ignorance  and  tyranny  of  King  Oswy,'^  at  the  council 
of  Whitby,  in  A.  d.  664,  just  twelve  years  before  the  birth  of 
Bede.  He  had  conversed  with  many  hundreds  who  knew 
and  revered  the  old  Scottish  preachers  and  their  Bibles,  and 
Bede  himself  was  indebted  to  Trumhere,'  one  of  their  disci- 
ples, for  his  own  warm  love  for  the  Scriptures. 

To  suppose  that  such  a  man,  with  these  environments 
would  not  know  all  about  St.  Patrick  that  could  be  learned, 
is  surely  to  make  a  great  mistake.  Besides,  he  had  an 
inquiring  mind,  and  had  "  applied  himself  to  every  branch 
of  literature  and  science  then  known."  He  was  a  writer  of 
numerous  volumes  on  a  variety  of  topics  ;  he  had  a  reputation 
so  extended  that  it  reached  Rome ;  and  Pope  Sergius  *  invited 
him  to  visit  him  in  that  city  to  pour  the  light  of  his  learning 

1  Bede's  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  I.,  preface,  pp.  1,  2. 

» Ibid.,  Lib.  III. ,  cap.  25.  3  Ibid.,  Lib.  IV.,  cap.  3. 

*  William  of  Malmesbury's  "  Chronicle,"  Lib.  I.,  cap.  3. 


ROMAN   COMMISSION  UN  AUTHENTICATED.  87 

upon  some  subjects  which  were  obscure  to  the  pontiff;  the 
death  of  Sergius,  or  some  other  circumstance,  prevented  his 
accepting  the  invitation.  Impelled  by  his  own  bent  of  mind, 
and  by  the  memories  and  influences  of  the  members  of  St. 
Patrick's  Church  in  Northumbria,  with  an  open  door  to 
search  the  pope's  register,  through  a  Nothelm,  a  Gregory  III., 
or  a  Sergius,  it  is  morally  certain  that  Bede  had  positive  in- 
formation before  he  wrote  his  work  that  Patrick  had  no  com- 
mission from  Pope  Celestine.  If  this  had  not  been  true 
Patrick  would  have  appeared  in  Bede's  "  Ecclesiastical  His- 
tory" as  the  grandest  religious  hero  in  Great  Britain  and 
Ireland  since  the  Saviour's  birth. 

As  Bede  is  careful  to  insert  notices  of  Ninian  and  Palla- 
dius,  and  as  St.  Patrick  entered  upon  his  Irish  labors  only  ten 
or  fifteen  years  before  Ninian ;  and  was  preaching  in  Ireland 
during  and  after  the  visit  of  Palladius,  it  seems  very  clear 
that  Ninian  and  Palladius  are  favorably  noticed  because  they 
were  papal  emissaries ;  but  Patrick,  immeasurably  superior 
to  either  of  them  in  worth  and  works,  is  completely  ignored, 
for  no  imaginable  reason  except  the  absence  of  the  pope's 
commission.  Bede's  notice  of  other  Protestant  Scots  and 
Anglo-Scots  was  compulsory,  because  their  homes,  their  age, 
and  their  missionary  efforts  mixed  them  up  widely  with  the 
conversion  and  religious  affairs  of  the  Anglo-Saxons ;  and 
their  unusual  piety  and  benevolence  constrained  the  truth- 
loving  historian  to  speak  well  of  them. 

But  St.  Patrick  lived  three  centuries  and  a  half  before,  and 
nothing  absolutely  forced  Bede  to  give  his  blessed  record  ; 
and  unlike  Ninian  and  Palladius,  he  had  the  commission  of 
no  pope.  He  was  a  Protestant,  for  which  the  Venerable  Bede 
slights  him. 

Muirchu  Maccu-Mactheni,  who  died  about  a.  d.  670,  in 
his  "  Notes  "  on  St.  Patricks  life,  whites  "Concerning  his  age 
when  he  wished  to  visit  the  apostolic  see  to  learn  wisdom ; 
concerning  his  finding  holy  Germanus  in  the  Gauls,  and  there- 
fore   he    loent    710   farther;    concerning   his   ordination    by 


88  ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

Amator,  the  bishop,  Palladius  being  dead."  Muirchu  wrote 
more  than  two  hundred  years  after  Patrick's  death.  His 
declaration  is  positive  that  he  did  not  go  to  Rome,  and  that  he 
went  no  farther  than  the  Gauls,  where  he  was  ordained  ;  and 
that  his  object  in  proposing  to  see  the  capital  of  the  Caesars 
was  not  reverence  for  the  pope,  or  to  secure  his  commission  to 
preach  in  Hibernia,  but  to  learn  wisdom,  to  join  the  multi- 
tudes of  students  who  came  there  from  every  nation  of  the 
West  to  secure  a  superior  education. 

Fiacc's  hymn  is  a.  biographical  sketch  of  Patrick,  written 
in  Irish  in  the  eighth  century.  It  gives  an  account  of  Pat- 
rick's birthplace  and  ancestry ;  of  Miliuc,  his  owner  when  a 
slave,  and  of  his  six  years  of  bondage  in  Ireland;  of  his 
studies  with  Germanus  of  Auxerre ;  of  his  visions  about 
Ireland,  and  the  cry  of  the  children  of  Fochlut  Wood  that 
the  saint  would  come  and  walk  with  them  and  convert 
Ireland's  tribes  from  evil  to  life.^  The  poem  includes  in  its 
sixty-eight  lines  more  facts  about  Patrick  than  it  is  possible 
to  conceive  until  it  is  examined. 

Ussher  states  that  "  Secundinus  was  regarded  as  the  author 
of  the  Alphabetical  Hymn  composed  in  praise  of  Patrick." 
And  he  quotes  an  old  Irish  writer,  who  relates  that  "  Sechnall, 
the  son  of  Restitutus,  a  Lombard,  and  of  Darerca,  the  sister 
of  Patrick,  composed  that  hymn.""  Secundinus  was  his 
Roman  and  Sechnall  his  Irish  name.  Dr.  Whitley  Stokes 
says  "  that  the  evidence  of  the  antiquity  (fifth  century)  of 
this  hymn  is  strong " ;  ^  and  this  is  the  opinion  of  others 
learned  in  ancient  Irish  literature.  It  contains  twenty-three 
stanzas  with  four  lines  in  each.  It  declares  that  Patrick  "  is 
constant  in  the  love  of  God,  and  unchangeable  in  faith,  upon 
whom  the  church  [of  Ireland]  is  built,  even  as  Peter."  * 
Here  there  is  no  place  even  for  Peter  as  a  foundation  for  the 
Hibernian  Church. 

1  In  "  Government  Tripartite  Life,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  270. 

a  "  Works,"  Vol.  VI.,  p.  383.    Erlington  ed. 

«  "  Tripartite  Life,"  Intro.,  Intro.  CII. 

<  Super  quern  Aedificatur,  ut  Petrus  aeclesia  [ecclesia]. 


ROMAN   COMMISSION    UNAUTHENTICATED.  89 

The  Redeemer  sent  forth  Paul  as  an  apostle  directly  and 
not  through  other  Christians,  and  when  he  had  a  special  field 
for  his  labors,  he  saw  in  a  vision  of  the  night  a  man  of  Mace- 
donia, saying,  "Come  over  into  Macedonia  and  help  us." 
Like  Paul's  remarkable  conversion,  Patrick  suddenly  became 
a  believer  among  Hibernian  pagans  when  long  absent  from 
Christians.  After  his  return  to  Britain  he  soon  had  in  a 
dream  or  vision  a  call  to  preach  the  gospel  in  Hiberuia ;  and 
this  call  was  repeated  until  he  found  himself  publishing  the 
"glad  tidings"  to  the  people  among  whom  he  suffered  so 
much,  and  from  whom  he  had  so  much  to  apprehend.  Pat- 
rick's conversion  and  call  to  missionary  labor  came  from  God 
as  surely  as  Paul's.  The  hymn  says,  that  "  Patrick  is  a  good 
and  faithful  shepherd  of  the  evangelical  flock  whom  God  has 
elected  to  defend  his  people  and  to  feed  his  lowly  servants 
with  divine  instructions,  for  whom,  after  the  example  of 
Christ,  he  had  given  his  life."  ^  Again  Secundinus  makes 
Patrick  the  worthy  choice  of  God  for  his  responsible  duties 
in  Hibernia,  without  any  help  from  Pope  Celestine.  The 
hymn  further  says : 

He  discovers  a  holy  treasure  in  the  sacred  volume  ;  .  .  .  he  is  a 
true  and  distinguished  cultivator  of  the  evangelical  field,  whose  seeds 
are  the  Gospels  of  Christ;  he  sows  with  sacred  words  in  the  ears  of 
the  wise;  and  he  plows  their  hearts  and  minds  with  the  Holy  Spirit. 
Christ  elected  him  his  vicar  "^  in  the  provinces — of  Ireland. 

Secundinus  makes  out  a  grand  character  for  St.  Patrick, 
even  in  the  small  section  of  his  poem  which  we  have  given ; 
and  in  the  last  quotation  he  makes  Christ  appoint  him  his 
vicar,  the  loftiest  title  assumed  by  the  pontiffs.  Assuredly, 
Secundinus  leaves  no  higher  place  for  any  pope,  or  apostle, 
than  he  gives  to  Patrick.  Of  course  he  says  nothing  about 
Patrick's  commission  from  the  pope ;  he  lived  in  his  day  and 
it  required  two  centuries  more  to  start  such  a  fable.  Upon 
Patrick  the  Church  of  Ireland  was  built.     The  Lord  chose 

1  Quern  Deus  Dei  elegit  custodire  populura. 

8  Xps  (Christus)  ilium  sibi  elegit  in  terris  vicarum. 


90  ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

him  to  teach  the  Hibernians ;  God  sent  him  to  Ireland  as  he 
sent  the  Apostle  Paul  to  the  Gentiles ;  God  elected  him  the 
guardian  and  shepherd  of  the  Irish  Christians,  and  finally 
Christ  made  him  his  vicar  in  Ireland. 

Secundinus  describes  St.  Patrick  as  a  fine  specimen  of  Bible 
Christianity.  His  poem  has  none  of  the  ridiculous  miracles 
which  disfigure  the  memoirs  of  later  writers.  As  one  of 
Patrick's  chief  bishops,  acquainted  with  him  and  his  entire 
history,  the  silence  of  Secundinus  about  the  Roman  mission 
and  his  destruction  of  any  foundation,  however  insecure, 
on  which  it  could  stand,  gives  a  death  blow  to  that  fondly 
cherished  delusion. 

Patrick  himself  confirms  the  doctrine  that  God,  and  no 
Roman  ecclesiastic,  called  him  to  Hibernia.  In  the  "  Con- 
fession," he  says : 

I  commend  my  soul  to  my  most  faithful  God  for  whom  I  dis- 
charge an  embassage  [in  Ireland]  in  my  ignoble  condition  because, 
indeed,  he  does  not  accept  the  person,  and  he  chose  me  to  this  office, 
that  I  might  be  one  of  the  least  of  his  ministers. 

Perhaps  nothing  would  ever  have  been  heard  of  Patrick's 
Roman  commission  had  it  not  been  for  an  unlikely  story  that 
Lucius,  king  of  the  Britons,  sent  to  Pope  Eleutherius,  about 
A.  D.  156,  entreatins:  him  to  send  ministers  to  preach  to  him 
and  his  people.^  He  sent  Faganus  and  Damanus,  under 
whose  instructions  the  king  and  his  people  were  converted.^ 
In  imitation  of  this  tale,  the  fable  was  invented  that 
Donald  I.,'  king  of  Scots,  sent  to  Rome  about  A.  d.  210, 
asking  Pope  Victor  for  religious  instructors,  that  Mark  and 
Denys  were  the  missionaries,  and  that  the  king  and  his  sub- 
jects were  baptized  as  a  result  of  their  labors.  The  three 
assumed  facts  are  equally  destitute  of  foundation,  and  not 
unlikely  the  King  Lucius  fiction  was  the  parent  of  the  other 
two. 

1  William  of  Malmesbury's  "  Chronicle,"  Lib.  I.,  cap.  2. 

2  Fox's  "  Acts  and  Monuments,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  110. 

8  "  The  Early  Scottish  Church,"  M'Lauchlan,  p.  52. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

FOREIGN  APPEALS  TO  ROME. 

The  popes  encouraged  appeals  to  Kome— A  limited  reference  to 
Rome  permitted  by  the  council  of  Sardica— This  council  not  a 
general  synod,  and  without  authority  to  make  general  laws— The 
popes  falsely  quote  its  decrees  as  the  canons  of  Nice— The  African 
bishops  expose  the  imposition— Africans  forbidden  to  appeal  to 
j^ome— French  bishops  reject  the  claim  of  Leo  the  Great  to  hear 
appeals  from  Gaul— Celidonius  makes  the  first  appeal. 

One  of  the  common  practices  of  the  popes  to  increase 
their  authority,  even  as  early  as  the  fourth  century,  was  to 
encourage  appeals  to  themselves.  And  as  favor  was  some- 
times shown  to  unworthy  persons,  condemned  by  their  own 
church  officers,  who  appealed  to  Rome,  other  ecclesiastical 
criminals  naturally  followed  their  example.  Individuals 
benefited  by  appeals  to  the  pontiff,  in  self-defense  magnified 
the  wisdom  and  dignity  of  the  bishops  of  Rome,  and  induced 
clergymen  in  trouble  to  seek  their  aid. 

The  council  of  Sardica,^  held  in  A.  d.  347,  was  composed 
of  Western  bishops,  after  the  withdrawal  of  their  Eastern 
brethren,  and  had  only  eighty  members.  It  was  never  recog- 
nized as  a  general  council,  and  consequently  had  no  right  to 
make  laws  for  the  church  universal.  Du  Pin,  a  Catholic  of 
great  learning,  speaking  of  three  canons  of  this  council  per- 
mitting a  limited  appeal  to  Rome,  says : 

They  do  not  give  the  bishop  of  Rome  power  to  judge  the  cause  of 
a  bishop  in  his  own  tribunal  at  Rome  ;  they  only  give  him  authority 
to  inquire  whether  it  were  well  or  ill  determined,  and  in  case  he  find 
that  it  were  determined  wrong  to  order  a  new  decision  of  it  in  the 
country  and  by  the  neighboring  bishops  of  the  province  where  it  was 
determined,  whither  he  might  send  legates  in  his  own  name,  if  he 
thought  it  convenient.2  

1  Perceval,  on  "  The  EToman  Schism,"  p.  9.    London,  1836. 

2  "  Du  Pin  "  Vol.  I.,  pp.  606,  607. 

91 


92  ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH    CHURCHES. 

Du  Pin  justly  observes,  that  "  the  discipline  which  these 
fathers  established  ivas  new''  It  had  no  existence  in  the 
Christian  church  before  the  council  of  Sardica.  Du  Pin 
also  writes  :  "  They  were  never  put  in  the  code  of  the  canons 
of  the  universal  church,  approved  by  the  council  of  Chalce- 
don  [a.  d.  451,  composed  of  six  hundred  and  thirty  bishops]. 
The  popes  only  used  them  and  cited  them  under  the  name  of 
the  council  of  Nice  to  give  them  the  greater  weight  and  au- 
thority.'' And  they  used  them,  not  to  secure  a  new  trial 
at  home  by  neighbors,  but  to  cover  their  own  iniquitous  usur- 
pations. The  inexcusable  falsehood  that  these  three  canons 
were  adopted  by  the  council  of  Nice,  the  first  and  most  ven- 
erated general  council  ever  held  by  uninspired  men,  was 
urged  by  Pope  Boniface  upon  the  North  African  bishops 
as  his  justification  for  hearing  appeals  from  their  country- 
men. The  African  bishops,  however,  after  careful  inquiries 
about  these  canons,  notified  him  that  "  no  such  canons  were 
passed  at  Nice,  and  peremptorily  rejected  his  claim  to  hear 
appeals,  alleging  that  they  knew  of  no  canon  of  the  fathers 
authorizing  such  a  course."  ^ 

Pope  Celestine,  who  is  supposed  to  have  sent  St.  Patrick 
to  Ireland,  attempted  to  act  the  tyrant  over  the  African 
churches  under  the  false  pretense  that  the  worthless  canons 
of  Sardica  were  adopted  by  the  council  of  Nice.  A  base 
fellow^,  named  Apiarius,  a  presbyter  of  Sicca,  in  North  Africa, 
who  had  been  "  convicted  of  many  crimes,  for  which  he  was 
degraded  and  excommunicated  by  his  own  bishop,  Urbanus," 
appealed  to  Rome.  Zosimus,  the  pope,  restored  him  to  his 
rank  and  the  communion  of  the  church,  "  w^ithout  ever  hear- 
ing the  other  side."  He  sent  three  legates  to  Africa  to  de- 
mand the  re-instatement  of  Apiarius,  and  to  require  "  a  strict 
observance  of  the  canons  of  Nice  "  ;  one  of  which  permitted 
limited  appeals  to  Rome.  These  canons  of  Nice  were  the 
old  unrecognized  Sardica  canons,  which  Zosimus  tried  to  ira- 

1  Perceval,  on  "  The  Roman  Schism,"  p.  19. 


FOREIGN   APPEALS   TO   ROME.  93 

pose  upon  the  African  bishops  as  the  canons  of  Nice.  There 
was  an  exciting  controversy  in  Africa  between  Faustinas,  the 
chief  Romish  legate,  and  the  bishops,  which  resulted  in  a 
brief  suspension  of  opinion  about  the  canons  until  Aurelius, 
the  chief  African  bishop,  should  write  to  the  bishops  of  Con- 
stantinople, Alexandria,  and  Antioch  for  authentic  copies  of 
the  canons  of  Nice.  A  compromise  was  arranged  about 
Apiarius,  which  restored  him  to  his  rank  and  the  communion 
of  the  church,  on  condition  that  he  should  make  his  submis- 
sion to  his  bishop,  Urbanus.  Authentic  copies  of  the  canons 
of  Nice  were  received  the  same  year,  a.  d.  419,  by  the  mes- 
sengers. These  copies  agreed  in  every  particular  with  their 
own,  especially  with  that  of  Csecilianus,  of  Carthage,  which 
he  brought  with  him  from  Nice,  where  he  had  assisted  at  the 
council,  "  without  any  trace  of  the  canons  which  Zosimus  had 
produced."  These  copies  were  forthwith  sent  to  Rome  by 
the  same  messengers  who  brought  them  from  the  East.  This 
left  canon  22,  adopted  at  Milevi,  in  a.  d.  416,  which  reads  : 
"  Let  no  one  who  shall  think  fit  to  make  appeals  to  parts 
beyond  sea  [Rome]  be  received  into  communion  by  any  one 
in  Africa,"  in  full  force  in  North  Africa.  Boniface,  the 
pope,  after  receiving  the  copies  of  the  Nicene  canons,  allowed 
the  dispute  to  drop,  and  the  African  prohibition  of  appeals 
to  prevail. 

Apiarius  sinned  wickedly  again  and  was  excommunicated, 
and  once  more  he  appealed  to  Rome ;  and  Pope  Celestine, 
Patrick's  supposed  patron,  restored  him  to  all  his  privileges, 
and  sent  him  home  with  his  legate  Faustinus,  with  orders  to 
see  him  re-instated.  The  African  bishops  rejected  the  inso- 
lent commands  of  Celestine  ;  and,  gathering  a  large  council, 
proceeded  to  try  Apiarius.  For  three  days  the  arrogance  of 
Faustinus  was  boundless ;  on  the  fourth,  Apiarius,  conscience- 
smitten,  confessed  the  enormities  with  which  he  was  charged, 
and  covered  the  legate,  and  the  pope  soon  after,  with  inex- 
cusable disgrace. 

The  council  "  cut  off  Apiarius  absolutely  from  the  com- 


94  ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

munion  of  the  church,"  notwithstanding  his  restoration  by 
Celestine.  "  Then  it  renewed  in  stronger  terms  than  ever 
the  canon  which  had  given  so  great  offense  at  Rome,  prohib- 
iting, on  pain  of  excommunication,  appeals  beyond  sea 
[to  Rome],  under  any  pretense  whatsoever."  The  bishops 
also  sent  a  "  synodal  letter  "  to  Celestine ;  in  which,  among 
other  things,  they  write  : 

As  for  what  you  have  sent  us  by  Faustinus,  as  a  canon  of  the  coun- 
cil of  Nice,  we  must  let  you  know  that  no  such  canon  is  in  the  genu- 
ine and  uncorrupt  copies  of  that  council  which  have  been  transcribed 
and  sent  us  by  our  fellow-bishops  Cyril,  of  Alexandria,  and  the  Eev- 
erend  Atticus,  of  Constantinople.  These  copies  we  sent  to  Boniface, 
your  predecessor.! 

The  tyrannical  usurpations  of  Celestine,  and  the  false  rep- 
resentation that  the  disowned  and  originally  powerless  canons 
of  Sardica  were  the  authoritative  canons  of  the  council  of 
Nice,  are  fully  recorded  by  the  Catholic  Du  Pin,^  as  well  as 
by  Bower. 

1  Bower's  "  History  of  the  Popes,"  Vol.  I.,  pp.  171, 172. 
a  "  Eccles.  History,"  Vol.  I.,  pp.  638,  639.    Dublin. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

PAPAL  APPEALS  IN  GAUL  AND  IRELAND. 

Cruelty  of  Pope  Leo  to  Hilary  of  Aries— Patrick's  interest  in  French 
Christians— He  never  alludes  to  Celestine— Connection  between 
North  Africa  and  Gaul— Patrick's  supposed  canon  ordering  an 
appeal  to  Kome  unknown  to  the  pope— Irishmen  of  Roman  tenden- 
cies, like  Adamnan,  ignorant  of  it— Malachi,  the  first  Romish 
bishop  of  Armagh,  regarded  it  as  a  forgery. 

The  chiircli  of  Gaul  denied  the  authority  of  the  pope  to  act 
upon  appeals  from  the  decisions  of  its  bishops.  Celidonius, 
bishop  of  Besan9on,  was  deposed  for  a  legitimate  cause  by  a 
council,  over  which  Hilary,  bishop  of  Aries,  presided.  From 
the  decision  of  the  council  he  appealed  to  the  pope.  "  Celi- 
donius was  the  first  Galilean  bishop  who  ever  thought  of  ap- 
pealing from  the  judgment  of  his  colleagues  to  that  of  the 
bishop  of  Rome."  Leo  the  Great  was  pope.  As  if  intoxicated 
with  his  first  appeal  of  this  character,  he  cleared  Celidonius  of 
his  accusations,  against  the  evidence,  and  restored  him  to  his 
former  dignity.  He  cut  off  Hilary  from  the  communion  of  the 
apostolic  see,  deprived  him  of  all  jurisdiction  over  the  seven 
religious  provinces  belonging  to  his  bishopric,  suspended  him 
from  ordaining  any  bishop,  and  in  A.  d.  445,  in  order  to  dis- 
grace him  among  the  bishops  of  his  own  province,  who  re- 
garded him  as  a  "true  pattern  of  every  Christian  virtue," 
he  wrote  a  letter  against  him  in  "  the  most  bitter  terms,  as 
one  who  was  a  disgrace  to  the  episcopal  order."  By  baseless 
assertions  that  the  bishops  of  Rome  had  always  received 
"  entire  obedience  and  submission  from  the  Galilean  bishops 
till  the  time  of  Hilary,"  Leo  obtained  from  Valentinian  III. 
"  the  famous  rescript  vesting  the  bishops  of  Rome  with  abso 
lute  and  uncontrolled  authority  over  the  Galilean  churchea 

95 


96  ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

and  bishops."  ^  The  emperor's  order  restored  Celidonius, 
"  but  that  was  owing,"  says  Bower,  "  to  the  imperial  rescript, 
not  to  Leo's  decree ;  for  Hilary  and  the  other  Galilean  bishops 
.  .  .  could  never  be  induced  to  acknowledge  the  pretended 
power  in  the  see  of  Rome  of  receiving  appeals,  and  re-exam- 
ining a  cause  which  they  had  determined." 

Patrick  had  close  relations  with  France;  he  loved  Ger- 
manus  of  Auxerre,  and  he  lived  years  after  Leo's  wicked 
attack  upon  Hilary  and  the  Galilean  bishops.  Hilary  was 
one  of  the  most  distinguished  Christian  leaders  in  Gaul. 
Patrick  had  Gallic  assistants  and  financial  aid  in  his  Irish 
ministry.  And  no  truer  friend  of  their  clergy  lived  in  or 
outside  of  Gaul  than  the  warm-hearted  Patrick,  the  Briton. 
That  he  sympathized  with  them  in  their  oppression  by  Pope 
Leo  and  during  the  remainder  of  his  life  while  they  suffered 
from  the  tyranny  of  the  most  talented  of  all  the  popes,  is 
absolutely  certain.  That  he  would  advise  his  Irish  disciples 
to  refer  a  difficult  case  for  decision  to  Pope  Leo,  or  to  any  of 
his  predecessors  or  successors,  with  their  iniquitous  pretensions 
to  rule  unjustly,  is  unlikely  in  the  last  degree. 

Patrick  knew  that  Pope  Celestine  had  sent  Palladius  to  the 
Scots  [Irish],  believing  in  Christ  as  their  first  bishop.  At 
that  time  there  is  reason  for  believing  that  Patrick  had  been 
laboring  for  years  in  Ireland,  and  that  Palladius  was  sent  as 
an  emissary  of  Rome  to  seize  his  converts  an  i  organize  a 
Romish  church  in  Hibernia.  He  failed  in  his  attempts  and 
left  the  island.  This  view  of  the  object  of  Palladius  w^ould 
account  for  the  singular  fact  that  Patrick  never  mentions 
Palladius  or  his  mission.  Patrick  having  some  direct  inter- 
est in  procuring  information  about  Celestine  had  many  oppor- 
tunities for  obtaining  it. 

North  Africa,  in  Patrick's  day,  was  settled  largely  by 
Italian  colonists,  who  kept  a  close  connection  with  the  mother 
country  and  France.     They  spoke  Latin.     They  were  numer- 

1  Bower's  "  History  of  the  Popes,"  Vol.  I.,  pp.  190-192. 


PAPAL  APPEALS  IX  GAUL  AND  IRELAND.     97 

ous  and  prosperous.  Their  Tertullian,  Cyprian,  and  Augus- 
tine were  honored  as  authors  in  all  Christian  countries.  Their 
people  were  in  Italy  following  various  callings,  like  Augustine 
when  he  was  converted  at  Milan.  They  thronged  Marseilles, 
the  old  centre  of  the  commerce  of  the  Mediterranean,  as  mer- 
chants and  mariners.  St.  Augustine  was  a  member  of  the 
African  council,  in  A.  d.  419,  which  refused  to  accept  the 
pope's  falsehood  that  the  canons  of  Sardica,  permitting  a  lim- 
ited appeal  to  Rome,  were  the  canons  of  Nice,  except  during 
the  time  needful  to  examine  the  copies  of  the  great  Eastern 
bishops ;  and  when  the  messengers  brought  the  proof  of  the 
pope's  deceit,  appeals  to  him  were  permanently  forbidden. 
The  works  of  this  eminent  man  were  read  all  over  Europe. 
In  the  two  hundred  and  twentyrfifth  letter,  published  in  his 
works,  Prosper  informs  him  that  "several  Christians  in 
Marseilles,  having  seen  his  work  against  the  Pelagians,  be- 
lieved that  what  he  taught  about  the  calling  of  the  elect  was 
contrary  to  the  doctrine  of  the  fathers."  He  also  told  him 
that  Hilary,  bishop  of  Aries,  whom  he  commends,  "  did  much 
admire  and  approve  St.  Augustine's  doctrine  in  all  other 
things,  but  could  not  relish  his  principles  about  the  decree  of 
the  calling  of  the  elect."  ^  The  efforts  of  Zosimus,  Boniface, 
and  Celestine  to  claim  jurisdiction  through  appeals  over  the 
African  bishops,  were  widely  known,  over  Italy  and  France 
especially.  And  this  information  was,  no  doubt,  frequently 
revived  by  the  extraordinary  popularity  of  Augustine,  the 
celebrated  North  African  bishop.  Patrick  certainly  knew  of 
the  unhallowed  ecclesiastical  oppressions  of  Celestine,  his  two 
predecessors,  and  Pope  Leo,  through  appeals  to  Rome.  And 
it  would  be  a  reflection  upon  his  common  sense,  upon  his 
regard  for  scriptural  justice,  and  upon  his  love  for  his  French 
friends,  if  he  established  an  Irish  appeal  to  the  tyrannical 
popes  who  tormented  them  and  others  by  such  appeals. 

How  is  it  that  Rome  herself  did  not  hear  of  Patrick's  canon 
and  enlist  some  malcontent  Irish  ecclesiastic  to  invite  her 

1  Du  Pin's  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  391. 


98  ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

judicial  decision  in  his  favor  ?  What  a  splendid  opportunity 
she  had  during  the  seventh  century,  when  the  Easter  and 
tonsure  controversies  raged  in  Britain  and  Ireland!  How 
quickly  she  dug  up  the  dead  canons  of  Sardica,  and  trans- 
muted them,  for  a  time,  into  the  venerated  decrees  of  Nice ! 
During  that  period  there  were  some  Romanists  in  principle 
among  the  Irish,  like  Adamnau,^  who  tried  without  success  to 
convert  the  monastery  of  lona,  of  which  he  was  abbot,  to 
Romish  practices,  and  who  showed  the  activity  of  an  apostle  of 
the  pope  in  efforts  to  seduce  the  Christians  of  Hibernia.  He 
could  have  appealed  to  Rome,  urging  Patrick's  canon  decree- 
ing such  application  in  difficult  cases  ;  the  pope  would  have  de- 
cided in  his  favor  with  alacrity,  and  would  have  issued  a  bull, 
reciting  the  canon  of  the  illustrious  St.  Patrick  and  his  own 
great  powers,  and  commanding  all  who  reverenced  Patrick, 
Peter  (whose  successor  he  claimed  to  be),  and  God,  to 
submit  to  Rome's  decision.  Had  Patrick  left  such  a  canon, 
Adarauan  would  have  been  aware  of  it,  and  his  zeal  shows 
that  he  would  have  used  it  at  Rome  as  soon  as  he  became 
a  partial  pervert.  And  its  employment  at  Rome,  with  a  bull 
based  upon  it,  through  the  influence  of  godly  Patrick's  name, 
might  have  seriously  injured  Bible  Christianity  among  the 
Irish.  There  were  others  who  knew  all  the  canons  or  deci- 
sions of  St.  Patrick,  and  who  would  have  notified  the  pope 
of  a  canon  enjoining  an  appeal  to  Rome  if  it  had  had  any 
existence.  And  the  fact  that  for  centuries  they  never  used  it 
to  justify  unrighteous  efforts  to  rule  St.  Patrick's  churches,  is 
well-ni^h  irrefutable  evidence  that  it  never  existed. 

Learned  Irishmen,  when  proselytes  of  Rome,  never  used 
Patrick's  supposed  canon  for  an  appeal  to  Rome  in  favor  of 
such  a  step. 

The  canon  commanding  an  appeal  to  Rome  is  preceded  by 
an  order  requiring  every  difficult  case  to  be  sent  for  decision 
to  the  see  of  the  archbishop  of  Armagh,  and  if  by  that  see, 
with  its  wise  men,  such  a  trouble  as  the  aforesaid  cannot  be 


1  Bede'3  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  IV.,  cap.  15. 


PAPAL  APPEALS  IN  GAUL  AND  IRELAND.     99 

easily  healed,  "  We  decree  that  it  be  sent  to  the  apostolic  see, 
that  is,  to  the  see  of  the  Apostle  Peter,  having  authority  in  the 
city  of  Rome.  Auxillius,  Patricius,  Secundinus,  and  Benignus 
made  this  decree."  ^  The  ninth  line  following  the  above, 
begins  with  a  brief,  but  ridiculous  account  of  the  loves  of  St. 
Patrick  and  Brigit.     It  reads : 

Between  holy  Patrick  of  Ireland  and  Brigit,  the  pillars  [of  the 
Irish  mission],  the  tenderness  of  so  great  a  love  existed,  that  they  had 
but  one  heart  and  one  purpose.  Christ,  through  him  and  her,  showed 
forth  many  virtues.  The  holy  man  [Patrick]  said  to  the  Christian 
virgin  :  "  O  my  Brigit,  thy  parish,  in  thy  province,  shall  be  considered 
thy  kingdom." 

Brigit  was  a  great  helper  to  Patrick  in  the  conversion  of 
Ireland  ;  but  to  speak  of  her  as  a  pillar,  like  Patrick,  in  that 
great  work,  is  the  extravagance  of  falsehood.  The  terms  of 
endearment  ascribed  to  Patrick  in  addressing  Brigit,  show  a 
complete  lack  of  harmony  with  all  that  is  known  of  his 
reserved  relations  with  women,  even  with  such  a  grand 
laborer  in  the  gospel  as  the  saintly  Brigit.  The  writer  of  the 
"  Book  of  the  Angel  "  was  probably  the  interpolator  of  a  ful- 
some notice  of  Brigit's  baptism  in  Patrick's  "  Confession,"  as 
well  as  the  forger  of  the  former  pamphlet. 

Among  the  strange  things  in  Irish  history,  nothing  is  more 
remarkable  than  the  fact  that  such  a  man  as  Malachi,  arch- 
bishop of  Armagh,  in  the  twelfth  century,  wholly  ignored 
Patrick's  supposed  canon  ordering  in  certain  cases  an  appeal 
to  Rome.  He  felt  that  the  Church  of  Ireland  w^as  rapidly 
rushing  to  destruction.  Why  not  appeal  to  Rome  for  help  in 
this  emergency,  giving  Patrick's  canon  as  his  chief  reason  ? 
^loreover,  his  heart  was  fixed  upon  the  union  of  the  Irish 
and  Roman  churches.  He  lamented  the  state  of  the  married 
primates  of  Ireland,  not  so  long  in  their  graves  ;  the  condition 
of  the  wandering  bishops,  without  any  fixed  dioceses  ;  and  the 
helplessness  of  the  church,  the  football  of  contending  clans 
and  petty  factions. 

1  In  "  GoTernment  Tripartite  Life,"  p.  356. 


100         J^NCIENT   BRITISH    AND    IRISH    CHURCHES. 

He  desired  self-denial,  austerity,  painful  mortifications  of 
the  flesh,  full-fledged  popery,  and  why  not  appeal  to  Kome 
upo7i  the  authority  of  St.  Patrick's  canon  f  But  Malachi  was 
aware  that  the  entire  "Book  of  the  Angel"  was  a  silly  fraud, 
wholly  unworthy  of  notice ;  and  that  it  had  been  regarded  as 
a  forgery  by  all  his  countrymen  who  knew  anything  about  it 
since  it  was  first  discovered.  The  risks  that  Malachi  ran  in 
making  an  appeal  to  Rome,  placing  himself  as  a  traitor  before 
the  friends  of  Irish  church  independence,  make  it  certain  that 
he  would  have  sheltered  himself  under  Patrick's  canon  in  his 
application  to  Rome,  if  it  had  not  been  known  as  a  forgery. 

Dr.  Whitley  Stokes  regards  the  "  Book  of  the  Angel "  as 
a  composition  of  the  ninth  century.  It  consists  of  five  octavo 
pages.  It  tells  of  an  angel  arousing  Patrick  from  sleep,  and 
informing  him  that  God  had  appointed  Armagh  to  be  the 
religious  capital  of  Ireland ;  and  he  also  communicated  to 
him  the  boundaries  and  prerogatives  of  the  archbishopric  of 
Armagh. 

There  is  another  "Book  of  the  Angel,"  which  had  an 
Eastern  origin,  and  immeasurably  more  success  than  the  Irish 
fabrication.  Mohammed,  speaking  of  his  Koran,  in  the 
second  chapter  of  that  work,  uses  these  words  :  "  Gabriel,  for 
he  hath  caused  the  Koran  to  descend  on  thy  heart,  by  the  per- 
mission of  God."  ^  According  to  the  false  prophet,  the  Koran 
is  the  "Book  of  the  Angel"  Gabriel.  The  Irish  book, 
inspired  by  some  Romanist  angel,  in  the  train  of  the  father 
of  untruths,  preserves  a  canon  attributed  to  Patrick  and 
others,  ordering  an  appeal  to  Rome  in  certain  cases.  In  these 
productions  of  the  two  angels,  the  Moslem  celestial  author 
appears  more  poetical  and  sublime  than  his  Hibernian  fellow- 
laborer,  but  he  fails  to  surpass  him  in  a  lack  of  veracity. 

1  Sales'  "  Koran,"  p.  13.    Philadelphia,  1868. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

ST.  Patrick's  missionary  qualifications. 

His  discouragements — His  humility — Compassion  for  the  unsaved — 
His  perseverance  in  serious  difficulties — His  influence  among  the 
chiefs — His  school  for  training  native  preachers — Learning  of  its 
president,  Secundinus — A  Gaulish  Eton — Patrick's  talents— His 
courage  in  danger— His  visit  to  King  Loeghaire— The  royal  se- 
pulchral monuments. 

In  his  sixteenth  year,  with  no  Christian  principles  to  guide 
him,  and  with  gospel  seed  only  in  his  memory,  which  did  not 
germinate  in  his  heart  for  some  years ;  with  no  associates  but 
slaves,  or  the  lowest  class  of  Irish  idolaters ;  with  religious 
conversation  limited  to  "  Cenn-Cruaich,"  the  chief  idol  of 
Ireland,  covered  with  gold  and  silver,  and  the  twelve  other 
idols  around  him,  plated  with  brass,  or  to  incantations  to  se- 
cure the  favor,  or  to  disarm  the  wrath  of  the  gods  of  Hiber- 
nia;  without  one  Christian  companion  or  kind  heathen 
friend,  Patrick's  condition,  as  he  became  a  slave  in  Ireland, 
gave  no  hope  of  future  usefulness ;  it  was  fitted  to  make  him 
conform  to  paganism,  and  to  join  in  the  worst  sins  of  his 
neighborhood.  Truly,  he  was  like  a  "stone  deep  in  the 
mud,"  as  he  says,  when  God  lifted  him  up  and  placed  him 
upon  the  wall  of  the  spiritual  temple. 

Patrick  was  one  of  the  humblest  men  who  ever  lived. 
Near  his  death,  when  his  influence  was  greater  than  that 
which  any  man  in  Ireland  wielded,  he  uses  expressions  of 
the  greatest  lowliness  of  mind.  His  self-depreciation  far 
surpasses  Augustine's  in  his  Confessions,  though  in  real  cul- 
pability Patrick  was  sinless  compared  to  the  bishop  of  Hippo. 
His  anselfishnes«  shines  conspicuously  throughout  his  genuine 
writings.  It  was  in  this  spirit  that  he  came  to  Ireland  to  preach 
Christ,  to  whose  people  he  owed  nothing.     And  it  was  in  the 

101 


102         ANCIENT    BRITISH    AND    IRISH    CHUliCHES. 

same  spirit  that  he  labored  there  fifty  or  more  years  without 
leaving  his  field  of  toil  more  than  once  or  twice  in  that  long 
period.  His  kindred  loved  him,  and  by  "tears  and  gifts" 
tried  to  prevent  his  entrance  upon  the  duties  and  dangers  of 
the  Irish  mission ;  but  he  had  intense  compassion  for  unsaved 
souls.  This  led  him  to  journey  through  many  dangers  into 
the  most  remote  places.  He  actually  aimed  at  telling  the 
good  tidings  to  the  last  man  in  Hibernia,  though  he  had  to 
visit  every  bog  shelter,  mountain  hut,  and  fisherman's  cabin 
in  the  land. 

Perseverance  was  a  marked  feature  in  Patrick's  character. 
As  an  ancient  Briton,  he  was  impulsive,  ready-witted,  easily 
moved  to  grief  or  joy ;  but  he  was  also  cool,  deliberate ; 
clinging  to  a  work  at  first  unsuccessful  and  often  showing 
unusual  difficulties. 

His  soul  was  frequently  bowed  down  in  tearful,  supplica- 
ting grief  before  God ;  but  the  Holy  Spirit  wiped  away  his 
tears,  and  repeated  to  him  either  the  precious  words,  or  others 
of  the  same  import :  "  Be  not  weary  in  well-doing,  for  in  due 
time  you  shall  reap,  if  you  faint  not."  And  as  often  as 
Hibernian  heathenism  showed  a  defiant  front,  Patrick  main- 
tained his  seemingly  useless  assaults  ;  his  persevering  energy 
coming  from  the  divine  Spirit  with  the  constancy  of  the 
tides,  until  at  last  the  ranks  of  paganism  were  broken  and 
its  army  routed,  and  Patrick  unfurled  the  flag  of  Calvary" 
over  all  Ireland. 

He  showed  much  wisdom  in  conducting  his  work  in  Hi- 
bernia. The  people  were  in  clans  or  tribes,  with  a  chief  or 
petty  king  at  the  head  of  each  ;  then  came  provinces,  with  a 
king  governing  this  larger  community  ;  and  then  the  supreme 
king,  supposed  to  exercise  sovereign  dominion  over  the  whole 
island.  Knowing  the  vast  influence  which  these  kings  pos- 
sessed in  opening  the  ears  of  their  people  to  listen  to  the  gos- 
pel, Patrick  sought  an  opportunity  first  to  preach  to  them  ; 
and  he  did  not  hesitate  to  address  the  supreme  king  of  Ire- 
land.    When  a  leading  chief  received  the  gospel,  his  entire 


ST.  Patrick's  missionary  qualifications.     103 

subjects  became  interested  in  its  examination,  and  many  of 
them  soon  after  accepted  the  Redeemer.  And  when  Dub- 
thach  MaccLi-Lugair,  "  king-poet  of  Ireland,  and  of  the  su- 
preme king,"  received  the  Saviour  by  faith,  Patrick's  gospel 
obtained  a  victory  over  the  culture  and  intelligence  of  Ire- 
land, the  tidings  of  which  would  reach  and  influence  in 
some  measure  the  most  ignorant  herdsman  in  the  "Green 
Isle."  While  one  soul  was  as  precious  to  Patrick  as  another, 
one  man's  salvation  might  influence  thousands  toward  Jesus ; 
but  such  an  extensive  blessing  for  others  attends  the  con- 
version of  few.  By  presenting  the  blood  of  atonement  at 
the  earliest  opportunity  to  the  civil,  literary,  and  legal  chiefs 
of  Hibernia,  Patrick's  labors  were  greatly  facilitated. 

Patrick  had  helpers  from  Gaul  and  Britain  ;  but  at  an 
early  day  he  had  wisdom  given  him  to  see  the  advantages 
of  a  native  ministry  in  Ireland.  At  first  the  education  of 
such  a  body  of  men  must  have  been  a  serious  question.  But, 
finally,  Patrick  constituted  a  "  household  "  on  an  extensive 
scale ;  it  consisted,  in  part,  at  one  time  of  twenty-four  per- 
sons, who  were  already  in  the  ministry  ;  three  of  these  were 
bishops,  of  whom  Secundinus,  his  nephew,  was  one ;  the  others 
followed  various  occupations :  domestic,  mechanical,  agricul- 
tural, ecclesiastical,  literary,  legal,  and  nautical ;  all  of  whom, 
as  opportunity  ofl'ered,  preached  Christ.^  These  were  simply 
the  agents  who  conducted  a  great  missionary  institution 
which  supplied  the  country  with  ministers  and  teachers  in 
some  secular  pursuits,  as  Irish  missionaries  on  the  con- 
tinent furnished  them  in  the  seventh  century.  The  "  metri- 
cal "  version  of  the  "  Household  "  of  St.  Patrick  mentions 
the  name  of  "  Brogan,  the  scribe  of  St.  Patrick's  school," ' 
showing  that  the  great  missionary  really  had  a  training  insti- 
tution under  his  care.  Patrick,  in  his  "  Letter  to  Coroticus," 
speaks  of  "  a  holy  presbyter  whom  he  had  taught  from  in- 
fancy."    This  still  further  brings  out  the  idea  of  a  general 

1 "  Government  Tripartite  Life,"  p.  265. 

2  0'Donovan's  "  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters,"  at  a.  d.  -148. 


104         ANCIENT   BRITISH    AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

educational  institution,  whose  chief  object  was  the  instruc- 
tion of  ministers  for  the  Irish  church.  Secundinus  was  at 
the  head  of  Patrick's  "  household  "  college,  according  to  the 
"  Tripartite  Life."  He  was  the  most  scholarly  man  among 
Patrick's  followers.  His  celebrated  "  hymn  "  is  remarkable 
for  its  good  Latin,  considering  that  its  author  was  a  native 
of  Ireland,  with  unknown  advantages  for  acquiring  a  superior 
education,  unless  in  Gaul,  of  which  his  father  was  a  native. 
The  twenty-first  stanza  of  his  hymn  begins  with  the  word 
Christ  in  a  common  abbreviation  in  Greek  letters,  "  ^/>?," 
showing  that  he  understood  Greek.  In  the  same  section  of 
Gaul  in  which  Auxerre  is  located,  the  residence  of  Germanus, 
the  supposed  preceptor  of  Patrick,  the  ancient  city  of  Autun 
lies.  In  an  old  Christian  cemetery  in  it,  about  thirty  years 
ago,  as  Withrow  says  : 

A  remarkable  Greek  inscription  was  found,  the  date  of  which  is 
about  A.  D.  400.  The  language  is  of  Homeric  purity  and  vigor, 
which  is  accounted  for  by  the  fact  that  Autun  was,  during  the  fourth 
and  fifth  centuries,  a  sort  of  "French  Eton,"  where  Greek,  the 
tongue  of  "  Homer  and  the  gods,"  was  sedulously  cultivated. ^ 

There  is  much  reason  for  believing  that  Secundinus  had 
acquired  a  knowledge  of  Greek  and  Latin  in  Gaul.  This 
learned  bishop  was  at  the  head  of  Patrick's  "  household  "  ; 
that  is,  his  great  school,  where  he  lived  when  at  home. 

Brogan,  the  scribe  of  St.  Patrick's  school,  was  a  lecturer, 
on  theology  probably,  whose  addresses  were  so  valuable  that 
they  were  frequently  written  and  put  in  circulation ;  he  also 
made  copies  of  the  works  of  others.  In  these  senses  scribe  is 
often  found  in  the  "Annals  of  the  Four  Masters."  The 
"  Book  of  Leinster "  states  that  Congus  a  scribe  was  the 
nineteenth  successor  of  St.  Patrick  in  the  see  of  Armagh. 
Patrick's  "  household  "  school  was  the  forerunner  of  the  great 
colleges  of  Clonard  and  Bangor,  which  in  the  sixth  century 
sent  out  Columba  and  Columbanus  with  a  wealth  of  learning, 

^  "  The  Catacombs  of  Rome,"  p.  257.    London. 


ST.  Patrick's  missionary  qualifications.     105 

and  of  many  similar  institutions  in  Ireland ;  and  of  the  great 
school  in  Ion  a  in  Scotland. 

St.  Patrick's  "  household  "  college  was  continually  blessing 
the  churches  which  he  founded  with  able  and  consecrated 
ministers.  At  Cross,  Patrick,  the  apostle  of  Ireland,  left 
Teloc  and  Nemnall,i  <^  two  of  his  household  "—clergymen  ; 
while  Patrick  was  abiding  in  Ailech  Airtich,'  and  while  he 
was  in  an  assembly  apart,  "his  household  were  baptizing, 
conferring  orders,  and  sowing  the  faith."  In  Dalaraida"*  he 
left  "  two  of  his  household,"  Glaisiuc  and  Presbyter  Libur ; 
at  Maige  Damoerna  *  and  Raith  Sithe,  Patrick  left  "  two  of 
his  household."  In  Maigev  Criathar,  Patrick  ordained  Fiacc, 
son  of  Ere,  to  labor  in  Leinster,^  and  "  he  left  seven  of  his 
household  "  with  him.  He  founded  churches  in  the  land  of 
the  Osraige,«  and  he  left  with  them  "  a  party  of  his  household." 
And  Patrick  came  to  Mendait  Tire,  and  he  left  "  holy  elders 
of  his  household  "  at  Tech  Talain.  To  these  might  be  added 
other  cases,  but  those  already  quoted  show  that  Patrick  had 
an  institution  for  training  ministers  under  his  own  supervi- 
sion, so  extensive  that  he  could  send  pastors  and  preachers 
wherever  there  were  openings  for  them.  And  from  the 
account  of  the  occupations  of  the  numerous  clergymen  com- 
posing his  household,  we  are  inclined  to  believe  that  it  was 
also  intended  for  the  general  instruction  of  young  converts. 

Patrick  had  a  powerful  intellect  and  a  high  order  of  elo- 
quence. There  is  a  little  story  told  of  the  conversion  of  King 
Loeghaire's  two  daughters,  which  contains  Patrick's  account 
of  God.  The  story  in  its  main  features  is  now  regarded  by 
most  scholars  learned  in  Irish  literature  as  genuine.  Patrick 
and  some  clergymen  were  sitting  beside  the  spring  called 
Cleebach.  Ethne  the  fair  and  Fedelm  the  ruddy,  daughters 
of  King  Loeghaire  came  to  the  spring  to  wash  their  hands  ; 
the  appearance  of  the  men  filled  them  with  wonder,  and  the 
ladies  said  to  them,  "  Whence  are  ye,  and  whence  have  vp 

1  "  Government  Tripartite  Life,"  Vol.  I,  p.  133.  "  I»)itl  ,  P-  I-"'"- 

3  Ibid.,  163.  4Ibi(i.,lG5.  5  Ibid.,  p.  191.  6  ibid.,  p.  195. 


106         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

come  "  ;  and  Patrick  said  to  them,  "  It  were  better  for  you  to 
believe  in  God  than  inquire  about  our  race."  The  first 
daughter  said : 

Who  is  God?  and  where  is  God?  and  of  what  is  God?  and  where 
is  his  dwelling-place?  Has  your  God  sons  and  daughters?  gold 
and  silver?  Is  he  ever  living?  Is  he  beautiful?  Have  many 
fostered  his  son?  Are  his  daughters  dear  and  beautiful  to  the  men 
of  the  world?  Is  he  in  heaven,  or  on  earth?  in  the  sea?  in  the 
rivers?  in  the  mountains?  in  the  valleys?  Tell  us  how  he  is  seen? 
How  is  he  loved?    How  is  he  found  ?    Is  he  in  youth  or  in  age?  ^ 

But  St.  Patrick,  full  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  answering,  said : 

Our  God  is  the  God  of  all  men,  the  God  ot  heaven,  of  the  sea, 
and  of  the  rivers;  the  God  of  the  sun  and  of  the  moon,  of  all  the 
stars  ;  the  God  of  the  lofty  mountains  and  of  the  lowly  valleys;  the 
God  over  heaven  and  in  heaven  and  under  heaven.  He  has  his 
dwelling  in  heaven  and  earth,  and  the  sea,  and  all  things  which  are 
in  them.  He  inspires  all  things  ;  he  gives  life  to  all  things  ;  he  sur- 
passes all  things  ;  he  supports  all  things.  He  kindles  the  light  of  the 
sun  and  the  light  of  the  moon.  He  made  springs  in  arid  land,  and 
dry  lands  in  the  sea,  and  he  appointed  stars  to  minister  to  the  greater 
lights.  He  hath  a  Son  co-eternal  with  himself,  and  like  unto  him. 
But  the  Son  is  not  younger  than  the  father,  nor  is  the  father  older 
than  the  son.  And  the  Holy  Spirit  breathes  in  them.  Father  and 
Son  and  Holy  Spirit  are  not  divided. 

Howbeit,  I  desire  to  unite  you  to  the  Son  of  the  Heavenly  King, 
for  ye  are  the  daughters  of  a  king  of  earth. 

Patrick's  account  of  God,  addressed  to  the  royal  inquirers, 
probably  in  the  hearing  of  a  considerable  number  of  others, 
is  profound,  exact,  and  astonishing.  The  author  of  this  ex- 
temporaneous address  at  the  spring  was  fitted  to  interest 
listening  thousands  and  move  a  whole  nation. 

Patrick  was  a  man  of  great  courage.  Soon  after  the  con- 
version of  Dichu,  apparently  the  first  person  whom  he  led  to 
the  Saviour,  he  determined  to  visit  his  old  master  in  Antrim, 
Miliuc.  He  proposed  this,  according  to  Muirchu  ^laccu- 
Mactheni,  to  redeem  himself  for  having  run  away  from  \m 
bondage.     He  carried  with  hira  a  double  price  for  his  servi- 

1  The  "  Waitings  of  Patrick,  the  Apostle  of  Ireland,"  pp.  85,  88.  Eeligious  Trad 
Sociiiy  of  London. 


ST.  Patrick's  missionary  qualifications.     107 

tude,  an  earthly  and  a  heavenly  one/  that  he  might  free  him 
from  bondage  (to  Satan)  whom,  as  a  captive,  he  formerly 
served.  Miliuc,  when  he  learned  that  his  former  slave  was 
about  to  visit  him,  according  to  Muirchu,  and  also  the  "  Tri- 
partite Life,"  gathered  all  his  treasures  into  his  house,  and 
burned  it,  them,  and  himself.  Patrick  came  to  the  southern 
side  of  Slemish  Mountain,  and  had  a  full  view  of  the  confla- 
gration that  destroyed  his  former  owner  and  his  home. 

His  proposed  visit  to  Miliuc  showed  a  daring  spirit.  He 
was  a  desperate  man,  at  the  head  of  a  numerous  tribe  of  war- 
riors, whose  fathers,  and  possibly  some  of  themselves,  had 
routed  the  soldiers  of  imperial  Rome  on  the  coasts  of  Britain. 
St.  Patrick,  to  him  and  his  subjects,  and  to  his  neighbors  far 
and  near,  was  but  a  fugitive  slave,  prompted  by  insolence 
in  venturing  to  visit  Miliuc.  He  had  reason  to  expect  the 
loss  of  any  money  which  he  carried,  his  immediate  enslave- 
ment, or  a  cruel  death  ;  but  he  was  going  to  preach  Christ  to 
a  tyrant,  to  purchase  an  indisputable  right  to  personal  liberty, 
and  to  secure  the  salvation  of  his  old  master's  family,  which 
he  accomplished,  and  he  feared  nothing.  After  this  he  came 
to  Dichu,  son  of  Trichem,  and  remained  a  long  while  preach- 
ing salvation  by  faith,  "  until,"  it  is  recorded,  "  he  brought  all 
the  Ulstermen'  by  the  net  of  the  gospel  to  the  harbor  of 
life." 

Muirchu  mentions  another  convert  of  Patrick,  named 
Maccuil,  a  desperate  reprobate,  an  Ulsterman.^  Muirchu 
speaks  of  him  as, 

Very  impious,  a  cruel  tyrant,  as  if  bis  name  was  Cyclops.  He  was 
depraved  in  thoughts,  outrageous  in  words,  malicious  in  deeds,  bitter 
in  spirit,  cross  in  soul,  wicked  in  body,  fierce  in  mind,  a  heathen  in 
life,  savage  in  conscience,  .  .  .  killing  passing  strangers  with  execra- 
ble wickedness. 

This  reckless  murderer,  intending  to  slay  Patrick,  had  one 

1  "  Geminum  seruitutis  pretium,  terrenuiu  utique  et  cceleste."  Notes  by  Muircliu 
Maccu-Mactheni  in  "Tripartite  Life,"  p.  275. 

2  "  Government  Tripartite  Life,"  p.  39. 

3  Muirchu  Maccu-Mactheni  in  "  Government  Tripartite  Life,"  pp.  285-2S9. 


108         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND    IRISH    CHURCHES. 

of  his  men  placed  in  their  midst  as  if  he  were  dead,  and  in- 
vited Patrick  to  stop  for  a  time,  and  to  approach  and  heal 
him.  Patrick  drew  near,  "  knowing  all  their  wiles  and  de- 
ceits," and  soon  after  the  man  was  found  dead,  to  the  horror 
of  Maccuil  and  his  band.  They  took  his  death  for  a  miracle, 
though  Patrick  never  claimed  that  he  wrought  any  miracle  ; 
and  Maccuil  was  smitten  with  distressing  repentance  toward 
God.  And  the  saint  commanded  him  '•'  to  put  his  trust  in  the 
Lord  Jesus  his  God,  and  confess  his  sins  and  be  baptized  in 
the  name  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
And  in  that  hour  he  turned  to  and  trusted  the  eternal  God, 
and,  moreover,  he  was  baptized."  This  account  is  also  found 
in  the  "  Tripartite  Life,"  and  in  the  "  Lebar  Brecc  Homily 
on  St.  Patrick."  It  required  no  ordinary  courage  to  address 
such  desperadoes,  knowing  their  plan  to  murder  the  preacher 
and  his  companions. 

The  most  heroic  effort  of  the  saint's  life  was  his  visit  to 
King  Loeghaire,  at  Tara.  According  to  Muirchu,^  who 
writes  in  the  seventh  century,  Patrick  laid  up  his  vessel  at 
the  mouth  of  the  river  Boyne  and  set  out  for  Tara  on  foot* 
reaching  "the  Graves  of  the  men  of  Fiacc  "  upon  the  evening 
of  the  day  upon  which  he  started.  Here  the  pagm  kings  of 
Ireland,  with  the  rites  of  heathenism,  were  buried.  We  learn 
from  Prof.  George  T.  Stokes,^  of  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  that 
these  famous  "  graves  "  are  two  miles  below  Siane.  At  this 
place  several  islands  divide  the  Boyne  and  make  it  fordable. 
On  one  side  there  are  raths,  forts,  caves,  circles,  and  pillar 
stones,  bearing  all  the  evidence  of  ancient  sepulchral  pagan 
monuments.  There  are  twenty  mounds.  Knowth  covers  an 
acre,  and  it  is  eighty  feet  high.  New  Grange  occupies  two 
acres,  and  it  is,  perhaps,  the  most  remarkable  Celtic  monument 
now  existing.  The  interior  chamber  of  the  New  Grange  moat 
has  been  often  compared  to  the  great  cavern  variously  called 
the  tomb  of  Agamemnon  and  the  treasury  of  Atreus.     Both 

1  Muirchu  Maccu-Mactheni  in  "  Government  Tripartite  Life,"  p.  278. 

2  "  Ireland  and  the  Celtic  Church,"  pp.  71-73. 


ST.  PATRICK'S  MISSIONARY  QUALIFICATIONS.       109 

are  constructed  on  exactly  the  same  plan,  the  roof  being 
dome-shaped,  but  built  without  any  knowledge  of  the  princi- 
ple of  the  arch ;  the  central  chamber*  is  nineteen  feet  six 
inches  high,  twenty-two  feet  long,  and  eighteen  broad,  while 
the  passage  which  leads  to  it  is  sixty-three  feet  long,  and  in 
general  six  feet  high.  One  mile  from  New  Grange,  the  third 
great  rath  of  Dowth  presents  similar  features.  This  vast 
cemetery  existed  in  the  same  state  as  it  is  at  present  in  St. 
Patrick's  time.  It  was  plundered  by  the  Danes  of  Dublin  in 
A.  D.  862,  and  the  raths  were  rifled  of  their  treasures.  In 
A.  D.  266,  Cormac  Macart,  king  of  Ireland,  who  renounced 
Druidism  and  became  a  Christian  before  death,  expressly  for- 
bade his  burial  in  Brugh,  another  name  for  "  the  Graves  of 
the  men  of  Fiacc,"  "  because  it  was  a  cemetery  of  idolaters ; 
for  he  did  not  worship  the  same  god  as  any  of  those  interred 
at  Brugh."  ^ 

1  Keating's  "  General  History  of  Ireland,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  428. 


K 


CHAPTER  IX. 
ST.  Patrick's  missionary  qualifications  (Cojifmweci). 

Tara— Its  banqueting  hall — A  feast  in  it  with  an  immense  attendance 
— Easter  fire— Loeghaire  and  Tara  enraged  at  Patrick — They  attack 
him — His  victory — He  goes  to  Tara  the  next  day  singing,  "The 
Deer's  Cry" — He  preaches  to  the  king  and  great  men  of  Ireland — 
Patrick  gains  a  victory  for  Christ — Loeghaire  professes  faith — Ire- 
land is  largely  opened  to  the  gospel— "Wizards  and  miracles — His 
magnetic  influence— His  name  assumed  by  a  whole  nation — The 
Kedeemer  his  sole  reliance. 

St.  Patrick  fixed  his  temporary  resting  place  on  the  hill 
of  Slane,  near  Drogheda,  surrounded  by  dead  royal  pagans, 
and  the  symbols  of  their  living  and  powerful  idolatry.  Tara 
was  in  full  view  of  Patrick's  camping-ground.  It  was  the 
chief  residence  of  the  supreme  kings  of  Ireland  for  centuries 
before  St.  Patrick's  day,  and  it  continued  to  enjoy  this  dis- 
tinction until  A.  D.  563.  It  is  situated  about  twenty-five 
miles  from  Dublin.  From  Prof.  George  T.  Stokes,  who 
refers  to  the  investigations  of  the  learned  Petrie  about  Tara, 
and  other  sources  of  information,  we  have  an  accurate 
account  of  the  ancient  palace  of  the  Irish  kings.  Largely 
and  finally  improved  in  the  third  century  and  forsaken  in 
the  sixth,  though  vast,  it  was  necessarily  rude  by  the  side  of 
the  structures  of  a  later  age.  The  banqueting  hall  was  seven 
hundred  and  fifty-nine  feet  in  length  ;  it  was  originally  ninety 
feet  in  breadth,  and  it  retains  marks  of  fourteen  distinct 
entrances.^  Tara,  according  to  Petrie,  with  one  exception, 
had  buildings  constructed  of  wood  and  clay.  Mr.  Petrie 
says:  "It  is  probable  that  the  edifices  of  Tara  were  not 
unlike  or  inferior  to  those  of  the  ancient  Germans,  of  which 
Tacitus  speaks  in  terms  of  praise,  and  which  he  describes  as 

1  "  Ireland  and  the  Celtic  Church,"  pp.  65-78. 

110 


ST.  PATRICK'S  MISSIONARY  QUALIFICATIONS.        Ill 

being  overlaid  with  earth  so  pure  and  splendid  that  it  resem- 
bled painting."  In  1810,  two  magnificent  torques  (neck 
chains)  of  gold  were  found  at  Tara,  which  are  now  in  the 
museum  of  the  Royal  Irish  Academy,  Dublin.  They  are 
spiral  in  form.  One  is  nearly  twenty -eight  ounces  in  weight, 
and  five  feet  seven  inches  long.  The  second  is  of  equal 
length,  but  of  more  delicate  construction  and  greater  light- 
ness, weighing  only  twelve  and  a  half  ounces. 

At  stated  intervals,  a  great  convention  of  the  people  of 
Ireland  met  in  Tara,  to  attend  to  the  public  business  of  the 
whole  island  and  to  enjoy  a  series  of  feasts.  The  night 
which  Patrick  spent  at  Slane  was  one  of  the  nights  of  a  great 
festival  at  Tara.     According  to  Muirchu,  there  were 

Convened  there  kings,  governors,  generals,  princes,  and  nobles  of 
the  people ;  and,  moreover,  magicians,  soothsayers,  enchanters,  and 
the  inventors  and  teachers  of  all  art  and  of  all  science,  were  called 
b3"  Loeghaire  to  Tara,  their  Babylon,  as  formerly  they  were  invited 
by  Nebuchadnezzar,  the  king.^ 

They  came  "  To  practise  many  enchantments  and  magical 
devices,  and  some  other  idolatrous  superstitions."  Throngs  of 
followers  attended  the  congregated  leaders  of  Ireland  at  Tara. 

The  feast  of  Easter  in  that  day  was  regarded  as  the  greatest 
festival  that  ever  existed ;  and  this  interest  w^as  felt  over  the 
entire  Christian  world.  On  the  eve  of  its  celebration,  lamps 
w^ere  lighted  or  fires  kindled.  Eusebius,  the  well-known 
church  historian  relates,  that  "  In  the  time  of  Constantine, 
this  vigil  was  kept  with  great  pomp ;  for  he  set  up  lofty  pil- 
lars of  wax  to  burn  as  torches  all  over  the  city  of  Constanti- 
nople, and  lamps  burning  in  all  places,  so  that  night  seemed 
to  outshine  the  sun  at  noonday."^  Patrick,  after  consultation 
with  his  believing  companions,  resolved  to  celebrate  Easter, 
and  "  he  kindled  the  divine  fire  (of  Easter)  very  bright  and 
blessed.  It  was  seen  at  Tara,"  and  it  created  indignation 
there,  for  "  there  was  a  custom  proclaimed  by  edict  (of  the 

1  Muirchu  Maccu-I\ractheni  in  "  (iovernment  Tripartite  Life,"  pp.  278-285. 

2  "  Vit.  Const.,"  Lib.  IV.,  cap.  22,  57. 


112  AXCIEXT   BRITISH    AND    IRISH    CHURCHES. 

king)  that  his  soul  should  perish  from  his  people  who  lighted 
a  fire  anywhere  in  any  of  these  regions  on  that  night  before 
it  was  kindled  in  the  palace  of  Tara."  Loeghaire,  the 
king,  was  greatly  disturbed  by  Patrick's  violation  of  the  legal 
custom  of  Tara  ;  and  especially  by  evil  forebodings  loudly 
expressed  by  his  great  men  unless  this  lawless  act  was  pun- 
ished ;  and  "  the  whole  city  of  Tara  shared  in  Loeghaire's 
apprehensions."  "  Nine  carriages  were  prepared  for  the 
king's  party ;  the  two  magicians,  Lucetmail  and  Lochru,  were 
added  for  the  attack  in  the  presence  of  all  the  nobles."  By 
the  advice  of  the  magicians,  the  king  refused  to  "  approach 
the  place  where  Patrick's  fire  was,  lest  afterward  he  might 
adore  him  who  kmdled  it."  And  when,  "  at  the  close  of  the 
night,  Loeghaire  came  to  the  Graves  of  the  men  of  Fiacc,  St. 
Patrick  was  called  out  from  the  place  of  his  Easter  fire  to 
the  king.  Before  he  came,  the  magicians  said :  '  Let  us  not 
rise  at  his  coming,  for  whosoever  rises  at  his  coming  shall 
afterward  believe  upon  and  adore  him.'  "  And  when  he 
appeared  before  the  king,  his  situation  was  very  alarming ; 
Loeghaire  was  enraged,  his  nobles  were  indignant,  the  magi- 
cians were  full  of  malice ;  Tara,  behind  these  champions,  was 
ready  to  destroy  the  apparently  helpless  preacher  of  the  gos- 
pel;  even  the  Graves  of  the  men  of  Fiacc  just  at  hand,  with 
the  dust  of  many  royal  conquerors,  all  resolute  defenders  of 
paganism,  must  have  increased  the  outward  hopelessness  of 
the  saint's  situation.  But  the  brave  missionary,  assisted  by 
the  enthroned  Lamb,  as  he  looked  at  the  carriages  and  their 
horses,  felt  more  powerful  than  the  king  of  Tara  with  all 
Ireland  to  help  him.  "And  appropriately  with  his  lips  aiK, 
his  heart,  he  sings  the  words  of  the  psalm :  '  Some  trust  in 
chariots  and  some  in  horses,  but  we  will  remember  the  name  of 
our  God.' "  At  the  saint's  approach,  only  one  arose,  assisted 
by  the  Lord,  who  was  unwilling  to  obey  the  command  of  the 
magicians ;  it  was  Ere,  the  son  of  Deg,  whose  remains  are 
now  preserved  in  the  city  of  Slane.  Patrick  blessed  him  and 
he  believed  in  the  everlasting  God. 


ST.  PATRICK'S  MISSIONARY  QUALIFICATIONS.       113 

Lochru,  the  magician,  in  the  presence  of  the  saint,  spoke 
abusively  of  the  Catholic  [universal]  faith. 

St.  Patrick  sternly  beholding  him  encouraging  such  wickedness,  as 
formerly  Peter  looked  at  Simon,  with  a  certain  authority  and  with  a 
loud  voice,  said  confidently  to  the  Lord:  '0  Lord,  who  canst  do 
all  things,  by  whose  power  afl  things  consist,  and  who  has  sent  me 
hither,  let  this  impious  man,  who  blasphemes  thy  name,  be  raised 
aloft  now,  and  let  him  quickly  die. 

The  magician  immediately  perished  in  accordance  with 
Patrick's  alleged  prayer ;  but  his  true  supplication  was  un- 
doubtedly only  for  a  peaceful  victory  for  the  gospel. 

The  king  and  his  friends,  maddened  at  Patrick  for  the  death  of 
Lochru,  wished  to  kill  him,  and  said:  "Lay  hands  upon  this  man 
slaying  us."  Then  seeing  the  impious  pagans  about  to  rush  upon  him, 
St.  Patrick  arose,  and  in  a  loud  voice,  said :  "Let  God  arise,  let  his 
enemies  be  scattered,  and  let  them  that  hate  him  fly  from  his  face." 

No  man  ever  showed  greater  bravery  in  defense  of  the  truth, 
in  presence  of  such  desperate  and  powerful  enemies.  Imme- 
diately after  Patrick  repeated  this  sublime  prayer  from  Psalm 
67,  darkness  fell  upon  the  people  of  Loeghaire  ;  these  impious 
men  fought  each  other;  there  was  a  great  earthquake.  It 
seemed  to  them  that  the  sky  fell  on  the  earth,  and  all  fled, 
leaving  Patrick,  the  king  and  queen,  and  two  attendants. 
The  queen  plead  for  her  husband's  life  from  Patrick ;  he 
pretended  conversion,  and  tried  to  kill  the  saint;  Patrick 
and  his  companions  disappeared  from  the  sight  of  Loeghaire, 
"  but  the  pagans  saw  only  eight  stags  with  a  fawn  going  to 
the  wilderness."  This  was  the  number  of  Patrick's  party. 
Muirchu  does  not  say  that  they  were  turned  into  stags,  but 
that  inference  has  been  drawn  from  his  account. 

On  the  following  day,  Easter  day,  when  the  kings  and 
princes  and  magicians  were  sitting  at  a  national  feast  in  the 
immense  assembly  hall  of  Tara  with  Loeghaire,  St.  Patrick 
approached  the  scene  of  revelry,  not  like  a  timid  deer,  but 
with  the  boldness  of  a  lion,  singing  with  his  brethren,  the 
words  of  the  famous 


114        ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

DEER'S  CRY. 
I  bind  myself  to-day  to  God's  power  to  pilot  me, 

God's  might  to  uphold  me, 

God's  wisdom  to  guide  me, 

God's  eye  to  look  before  me, 

God's  ear  to  hear  me, 

God's  word  to  speak  for  me, 

God's  hand  to  guard  me, 

God's  way  to  be  before  me, 

God's  shield  to  protect  me, 

God's  host  to  secure  me. 

Against  snares  of  demons, 

A  gainst  seductions  of  vices. 

Against  [the  lusts]  of  nature. 

Against  every  one  who  wishes  ill  to  me, 

Far  or  near, 

Alone  and  in  a  multitude. 
I  summon  to-day  all  these  powers  around  me 
Against  every  cruel,  merciless  power  which  may  come 
Against  my  body  and  my  soul, 
Against  incantations  of  false  prophets. 
Against  bhick  laws  of  heathenism. 
Against  false  laws  of  heretics. 
Against  craft  of  idolatry. 

Against  spells  of  women  and  smiths  and  wizards. 
Against  every  knowledge  that  hath  defiled  man'^  body  and  soul. 
Christ  to  protect  nie  to-day  against  ever}'  poison, 
Against  burning,  against  drowning,  against  death-wound, 
So  that  I  may  have  a  multitude  of  rewards. 
Christ  with  me,  Christ  before  me,  Christ  behind  me, 
Christ  in  me,  Christ  below  me,  Christ  above  me, 
Christ  at  my  right,  Christ  at  my  left, 
Christ  in  breadth,  Christ  in  length,  Christ  in  height, 
Christ  in  the  heart  of  every  one  that  thinks  of  me, 
Christ  in  the  mouth  of  every  one  that  speaks  to  me, 
Christ  in  the  eye  of  every  one  that  sees  me,  * 

Christ  in  the  ear  of  every  one  that  hears  me, 

I  bind  myself  to-day  to  a  strong  power,  an  invocation  of  the  Trinity 
I  believe  a  threeness  with  confession  of  a  oneness, 
A  Trinity  in  unity, 
In  [the]  Creator  of  the  universe. 

Salvation  is  the  Lord's,  salvation  is  the  Lord's,  salvation  is  Christ's, 
]\ray  tliy  salvation.  Lord,  be  always  with  us!     Amen.^ 

1   This  liymn  has  no  fabulous  miracles  in  it  like  the  works  cf  Tirechan  ?nd  Muir- 
ciiu  about  two  centuries  later.    It  makes  no  reference  to  the  worship  of  saiiits, 


ST.  Patrick's  missionary  qualifications.     115 

If  the  king  and  his  hosts  of  guests  heard  the  singers  and 
their  sublime  hymn  they  must  have  been  filled  with  astonish- 
ment at  the  novel  strains  and  confident  appeals  to  God  for 
help. 

As  Patrick  entered  the  great  banqueting  hall,  as  Muirchu 
Maccu-Mactheni  says,  "  to  make  an  address  before  all  the 
tribes  [of  Hibernia]  upon  the  holy  faith,"  ^  he  seems  weak- 
ness itself  inviting  death  from  thousands  of  blood-stained 
reprobates.  Patrick  had  a  severe  contest  with  Lucetmail, 
another  magician,  who  tried  like  the  magicians  of  Egypt  in 
the  days  of  Moses,  to  excel  Patrick's  supposed  miracles,  but 
he  lost  his  life  in  the  contest.  As  a  result  of  the  exciting 
conflict  between  Patrick  and  Lucetmail,  Loeghaire  and  many 
others  believed.  Some  like  the  king,  through  fear  of  Pat- 
rick's supposed  magical  power,  and  others  like  Dubthach 
Maccu-Lugair,  the  "  king-poet,"  with  saving  faith.  Patrick 
secured  a  great  victory  at  Tara,  which,  in  a  large  measure, 
opened  Ireland  to  the  gospel. 

Muirchu,  from  whom  this  account  of  Patrick's  visit  to  Tara 
is  taken,  like  other  writers  of  his  day,  credits  him  with  a 
number  of  miracles.  Even  his  converts  were  likely  to  believe 
in  his  supernatural  powers. 

When  Augustine  came  from  Kome  as  a  missionary  to 
England,  in  a.  d.  596,  Ethelbert,  king  of  Kent,  a  man  of 
superior  intelligence,  with  a  Christian  wife,  was  afraid  to 
meet  Augustine  and  his  brethren  "  in  a  house,"  as  Bede  says, 
"  lest,  according  to  an  ancient  superstition,  if  they  practised 
any  magical  arts,  they  might  impose  upon  him."  '  So  when 
Loeghaire  was  going  to  meet  Patrick  at  the  Graves  of  the 
men  of  Fiace,  his  wizards  said  to  him : 

angels,  or  the  Virgin  Mary.  It  speaks  of  incantations,  wizarcjs,  and  the  black  laws 
of  heathenism,  showing  its  adaptation  to  Ireland  in  Patrick's  early  ministry.  It 
is  full  of  evangelical  scriptural  sentiments  such  as  Patrick  held;  and  it  has  one 
expression,  "the  judgment  of  doom,"  which  in  some  form  was  often  on  Patrick's 
lips.  The  hymn  seems  to  have  had  Patrick  for  its  author.  We  have  given  sevon 
of  the  eleven  stanzes. 

1  In  "Government  Tripartite  Life,"  p.  285.     London,  1887. 

2  Bede's  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  I.,  cap.  25. 


116         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

O  king,  you  shall  not  go  to  the  place  where  the  fire  is  (Patrick's 
place),  lest  afterward  you  might  reverence  hitn  who  kindled  it,  but 
you  shall  be  on  the  outside  near  by,  and  he  shall  be  called  to  you  that 
he  may  reverence  you,  and  the  king  said:  "You  have  suggested  a 
good  plan  ;  I  will  do  as  you  advise." 

Patrick  was  regarded  as  an  enchanter  by  some  of  the 
Hibernian  heathen,  and  it  is  highly  probable  that  not  a  few 
of  them  after  their  conversion,  seeing  his  remarkable  success, 
reckoned  him  as  one  of  Christ's  enchanters  who  wrought 
wonders.     In  this  way  some  of  these  miracles  originated. 

Patrick  does  not  himself  allude  to  miracles,  but  he  speaks 
in  terms  of  unbounded  gratitude  for  the  grace  that  enabled 
him  to  lead  such  numbers  to  Jesus. 

The  truth  of  Muirchu's  narrative  of  Patrick's  religious 
success  at  the  Graves  of  the  men  of  Fiacc  and  at  Tara  is 
in  the  main  certain.  Anything  which  cannot  be  accounted 
for  by  natural  causes  is  an  invention  added  to  the  original 
text,  probably  by  a  later  hand,  but  not  destroying  its  verity 
and  value. 

Another  great  advantage  possessed  by  Patrick  was  his 
acquaintance  with  the  Irish  language.  It  is  sometimes 
assumed  that  as  a  Briton  his  tongue  was  identical  with  that 
of  Hiberiia.  The  people  of  Gaul,  Britain,  and  Ireland  had 
exactly  the  same  language  before  the  Britons  left  the  rest  of 
the  Celtic  family  to  occupy  their  island  home,  and  before  the 
Irish  removed  to  Hibernia.  But  time  and  separation  made 
great  changes.  St.  Patrick,  by  such  a  miracle  of  Providence 
as  sent  Joseph  into  Egypt  to  provide  for  his  kindred  and  the 
subjects  of  Pharaoh  in  the  coming  famine,  was  carried  into 
Hibernia  in  his  youth  and  detained  there  six  years,  that  he 
might  learn  its  language  thoroughly,  and  that  he  might  be 
able  to  preach  Christ  with  irresistible  eloquence. 

Patrick  had  a  remarkable  influence  over  those  whom  he 
met,  a  magnetic  power  to  draw  their  affections  to  himself  and 
their  hearts  to  his  Master.  His  disciples  held  him  in  the 
greatest  reverence  while  he  lived,  and  loved  him  after  his 
death  next  to  their  gracious  Redeemer.     There  were  no  divi- 


ST.  Patrick's  missionary  qualifications.     117 

sions  among  his  followers,  however  numerous  they  became. 
Patrick  was  the  recognized  ruler  of  his  many  churches  whose 
members  bestowed  his  name  upon  their  children  until  it  be- 
came the  most  common  given  name  among  Celtic  Hibernians. 
Gibbon,  referring  to  this,  speaks  of  Patricius  and  Augustus 
as  common  names  in  Italy,  and  states  that  "  the  meanest  sub- 
jects of  the  Roman  empire  assumed  the  illustrious  name  of 
Patricius  (Patrick,  a  noble),  which  by  the  conversion  of 
Ireland,  has  been  communicated  to  a  whole  nation."  Though 
St.  Patrick  has  been  dead  fourteen  hundred  and  fifty  years, 
he  still  lives  in  millions  of  Celtic  hearts  in  Hibernia  and  in 
other  lands,  and  their  children,  schools,  and  churches  still 
bear  his  honored  name. 

Patrick's  chief  qualification  was  constant  reliance  upon  the 
grace  and  spirit  of  God  ;  hence  we  read  in  the  "  Confession  "  : 
"  I  can  accomplish  nothing  unless  my  Lord  himself  should 
give  it  to  me."  "  It  was  not  my  grace,  but  God  who  overcame 
me  that  I  should  come  to  the  Hibernian  nations  to  preach  the 
gospel."  "  Therefore  I  am  much  indebted  to  God  who  gave 
me  such  great  grace  that  many  were  born  again  of  God." 

These  convictions  made  him  pray  incessantly  for  the  con- 
version of  souls.  Like  the  well-known  prayer  of  John  Knox, 
"  Give  me  Scotland  or  I  die,"  so  Patrick's  heart  was  con- 
tinually crying  out  to  God,  "  Give  me  Ireland  or  I  die,"  and 
as  a  result  God  opened  the  windows  of  heaven  and  poured 
out  floods  of  converting  grace,  so  that  Ireland  in  his  day, 
while  not  entirely  w^ithout  unbelievers,  became  a  Christian 
island,  and  soon  after  a  school  for  missionaries  to  the  heathen 
Picts  of  Scotland,  the  Pagan  Anglo-Saxons,  and  the  idolaters 
of  almost  every  section  of  the  continent  of  Europe.  It  is  a 
little  remarkable  that  this  grand  old  believer  in  sovereign 
grace,  in  full  salvation  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  in  the 
immersion  of  believers,  should  give  his  name  to  popish 
churches,  where  his  gospel  is  denounced,  and  bis  Baptist 
brethren,  with  whose  doctrines  his  writings  are  in  singular 
agreement,  are  branded  with  heretical  infamy. 


CHAPTER  X. 

ST.  Patrick's  great  work,  and  his  exalted  worth. 

Cummian  and  St.  Patrick's  work  and  worth — The  Four  Masters— 
Marianus  iScotus— The  Chronological  Tract— The  Lebar  Brecc 
Homily— Joceline—Giraldus  Cambrensis— Roger  of  Wendover— 
AV  illiam  of  Mahnesbury— Mathew  of  Westminster— Eapin— Arch- 
bishop Ussher— Mosheim— Neander— Dr.  M'Lauchlan— Prof.  G. 
T.  Stokes,  D.  D.— The  Duke  of  Connaught— The  oldest  and  the 
greatest  Religious  Tract  Society  in  Europe. 

In  the  following  quotations  the  author  claims  the  truth  of 
the  general  drift  only  of  the  evidence  presented  ;  the  precise 
number  of  churches  founded  by  Patrick,  or  of  clergymen  or- 
dained by  him,  cannot  be  given,  and  the  dates  cannot  be 
fixed  with  exactness.  In  A.  d.  634,  St.  Cummian  wrote  a 
treatise  against  the  Irish  time  of  observing  Easter,  in  the 
form  of  an  epistle  to  Segienus,  abbot  of  lona.  He  was  a 
Hibernian,  a  graduate  of  the  great  school  of  Durrow.  He 
was  an  eminent  scholar.  In  his  epistle  he  shows  an  acquaint- 
ance with  Origen,  Cyprian,  Cyril,  Augustine,  and  Gregory 
the  Great ;  and  he  speaks  of  Patrick  as  "  Holy  Patrick,  our 
father,''  ^  that  is,  the  father  of  Irish  Christianity,  and  the 
human  founder  of  all  its  institutions  in  Hibernia  and 
Scotland. 

The  celebrated  "  Four  Masters,"  ^  whose  large  work  was 
compiled  in  the  first  half  of  the  seventeenth  century  out  of 
ancient  records,  relate  that  St.  Patrick  erected  seven  hun- 
dred churches,  ordained  seven  hundred  bishops  and  threo 
thousand  priests,  and  baptized  all  Ireland. 

The  "  Chronicle  "  of  Marianus  Scotus,^  a  Hibernian,  as  the 

1  "Vet.  Ep.  Hibern.  Sylloge,"  Ussher's  ".Works,"  Vol,  IV.,  p.  440. 

2  "  Annals  of  the  Kingdom  of  Ireland,"  at  a.  d.  493.    O'Donovan. 

3  In  "  Government  Tripartite  Life,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  510. 
118 


ST.  Patrick's  great  work.  119 

latter  name  tells  us,  was  written  about  A.  d.  1072.  In  it  it 
is  stated  that  "  Holy  Patrick,  a  Briton,  preaching  with  signs 
and  wonders,  turned  the  whole  island  of  Ireland  to  the  faith  " 
of  Christ.  Marianus  Scotus  was  one  of  the  most  celebrated 
scholars  and  writers  of  the  Middle  Ages. 

The  Chronological  Tract  ^  in  the  Lebar  Brecc,  written  in  the 
eleventh  century,  says  of  St.  Patrick : 

Seven  hundred  fair  churches  he  erected : 
He  raised  them  from  the  ground, 

"  The  Lebar  Brecc  Homily  on  St.  Patrick,"  composed  in 
the  thirteenth  century,  and  first  printed  with  the  "  Govern- 
ment Tripartite  Life,"  at  page  431,  says :  "  One  of  the  splen- 
dors which  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  shed  upon  the  world 
was  the  splendor,  and  the  flame,  the  precious  stone  and  the 
shining  lamp  which  enlightened  the  west  of  the  world,  Holy 
Patrick,  high  bishop  of  the  west  of  the  world,  father  of  the 
baptism  and  belief  of  the  men  of  Ireland."  Patrick's  re- 
ligious descendants,  teaching  and  preaching  for  ages  all  over 
Europe,  had  secured  for  him  a  wide-spread  and  flattering 
reputation  long  before  the  "  Lebar  Brecc  "  was  written. 

Joceline  says :  ^  "  He  consecrated  three  hundred  and  fifty 
bishops  with  his  own  hand,  he  founded  seven  hundred  churches, 
aud  advanced  five  thousand  clergymen  to  the  sacerdotal 
rank  and  service."  Joceline,  who  in  the  twelfth  century, 
wrote  one  of  the  many  "Lives"  of  St.  Patrick,  was  an 
author  of  considerable  reputation. 

Giraldus  Cambrensis,^  was  cousin  to  the  chief  Norman- 
Welsh  warriors  who  achieved  the  "  English  "  conquest  of  Ire- 
land.    Writing  of  Patrick,  he  states  that : 

He  was  a  native  of  Britain,  eminent  for  the  sanctity  of  his  life, 
who,  finding  the  nation  [Irish]  sunk  in  idoh\try,  and  immersed  in 
all  kii>ds  of  superstitions,  was  the  first  who,  aided  by  divine  grace, 
preached  the   faith    of  Christ,  and  planted   it  among    them.     The 

1  In  "  Government  Tripartite  Life,"  Vol.  II.,  pp.  551,  553. 

«  Ussher's  "  Works,"  Vol.  VI,,  p.  518. 

3 "Topography  of  Ireland,"  Dist.  Ill,  Cap.  XVI. 


120         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

people  flocking  in  throngs  to  be  baptized  by  him,  and  the  whole 
island  having  been  converted  to  Christianity,  he  chose  Armagh  fur 
his  see. 

Roger,  of  Wendover/  an  EnglisbmaD,  who  died  in  A.  d. 
1237,  whose  work  was  largely  stolen  by  the  celebrated  his- 
torian, Matthew  Paris,  and  whose  name  it  still  bears  in 
old  editions  of  Paris,  relates  of  St.  Patrick,  that  "  during  eighty 
years  he  was  a  pattern  of  apostolical  virtue.  .  .  He  ordained 
three  hundred  and  forty-five  bishops  and  three  thousand  pres- 
byters ;  moreover,  he  converted  twelve  thousand  men  in  the 
province  of  Connaught  to  the  Christian  faith.  .  .  Passing 
into  Ireland  with  spiritual  treasures,  he  baptized  its  people." 

William  of  Malmesbury,"^  who  died  in  a.  d.  1143,  an  Eng- 
lishman, of  whom  Leland  writes,  "  He  is  an  elegant,  learned, 
and  faithful  historian,"  says :  "It  is  written  in  the  year  of  our 
Lord's  incarnation,  a.  d.  425,  that  St.  Patrick  is  ordained  to 
Ireland.  .  .  In  A.  D.  433,  Ireland  is  converted  to  the  faith 
of  Christ  by  the  preaching  of  St.  Patrick." 

Matthew  of  Westminster,  a  historian,  whose  great  work 
has  been  honored  by  frequent  references  by  Hume  and 
others,  an  English  author  of  the  fourteenth  century,  writes : 
"  St,  Patrick  went  to  Ireland  girded  up  to  preach  the  gospel, 
and  rich  in  spiritual  treasures ;  he  baptized  the  Irish,  gain- 
ing many  to  God."  ^ 

Rapin,*  the  author  of  a  voluminous  history  of  England, 
was  a  Frenchman.  His  work  is,  in  many  respects,  the  fairest 
and  best  record  of  Great  Britain  ever  published.  About  St. 
Patrick,  he  writes :  "  He  was  one  of  the  most  remarkable  men 
for  the  conversion  of  the  Irish,  which  is  generally  ascribed  to 
him.  .  .  The  Irish  did,  and  still  do,  reverence  him  as  their 
apostle  and  protector.  .  .  Patrick,  the  Great,  the  converter 
of  the  Irish,  governed  the  Church  of  Ireland  for  sixty 
years." 

1  Wendover's  "  Flowers  of  History,"  at  A.  D.  491. 

*  "  Chronicle,"  Lib.  I.,  cap.  2,  p.  4. 

8  "  Flowers  of  History,"  at  a.  d.  493. 

4  "  History  of  England,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  43.    London,  1732. 


ST.    PATRICK'S   GREAT   WORK.  121 

Archbishop  Ussher  ^  (Calvinistic  Episcopalian),  one  of  the 
most  learned  men  that  ever  lived,  whose  works  are  still 
among  the  chief  treasures  of  the  admirers  of  scholarly  worth, 
devotes  many  pages  to  the  career  of  St.  Patrick.  In  a  letter 
to  William  Camden,  written  in  June,  1618,  he  speaks  of  the 
apostle  of  Ireland  as  "Our  great  St.  Patrick."  He  justly 
treats  his  supposed  miracles  with  contempt,  but  "  wishes  that 
the  credit  of  that  worthy  man  himself  should  in  no  wise  be 
touched.  Elsewhere^  he  quotes  with  favor  the  statement  of 
Sigebertus  in  his  "  Chronicle,"  who  "  wrote  about  our  Patrick, 
that,  having  been  ordained  archbishop  of  the  Scots  [Irish], 
and  excelling  for  sixty  years  in  signs,  sanctity,  and  instruc- 
tion, he  converted  the  whole  island  of  Hibernia  to  Christ." 

Mosheim^  says  :  "  Patrick,  although  there  were  some  Chris- 
tians before  his  arrival,  has  been  justly  called  the  'Apostle 
of  Ireland.' " 

Neander*  writes :  "  Patrick  abandoned  of  all  human  aid, 
(as  a  slave  and  swineherd  in  Ireland),  found  protection,  help, 
and  solace  in  God,  and  found  his  chief  delight  in  prayer  and 
pious  meditations.  If  Patrick  came  to  Ireland  as  a  deputy 
from  Kome,  it  might  naturally  be  expected  that  in  the  Irish 
church  a  certain  sense  of  dependence  would  always  have  been 
preserved  toward  the  mother  church  at  Rome.  But  we  find, 
on  the  contrary,  in  the  Irish  church  afterward,  a  spirit  of 
church  freedom,  similar  to  that  shown  by  the  ancient  British 
church,  which  struggled  against  the  yoke  of  Roman  ordi- 
nances." 

This  goes  to  prove  that  the  origin  of  this  church  was 
independent  of  Rome,  and  must  be  traced  solely  to  the  people 
of  Britain.     Neander  further  says  : 

Patrick  possessed  a  great  advantage  in  prosecuting  his  work  in 
Ireland  from  his  knowledge  of  the  customs  and  language  of  the 


1  Ussher's  •'  Works,"  Vol.  XV.,  p.  154. 

2  Ibid.,  Vol.  VI.,  p.  283. 

3"  Eccles.  Hist.,"  p.  175.     London,  1848. 

♦"General  History  of  the  Christian  Church,"  Vol.  II.,  pp.  122-124. 
L. 


122         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

country.  He  assembled  around  him  in  the  open  fields,  at  the  beat 
of  a  drum,  a  concourse  of  people,  where  he  related  to  them  the  story 
of  Christ,  which  relation  manifested  its  divine  power  upon  their  rude 
mind. 

Dr.  Thomas  M'Lauchlin  *  (Presbyterian),  a  distinguished 
Celtic  scholar,  writes : 

From  all  that  can  be  learned  of  St.  Patrick  there  never  was  a 
nobler  Christian  missionary.  .  .  He  went  to  Ireland  from  love 
to  Christ  and  love  to  the  souls  of  men.  .  .  It  is  strange  that  a 
people  who  owed  Rome  nothing  in  connection  with  their  conversion 
to  Christ,  and  who  long  struggled  against  her  pretensions,  should 
now  be  ranked  as  her  most  devoted  adherents. 

Professor  George  T.  Stokes,'  D.  D.,  (Episcopalian),  the 
author  of  a  very  valuable  work  on  the  Celtic  church,  says : 
"St.  Patrick  had  spent  his  youth  in  Ireland.  There  God 
had  revealed  himself  to  his  soul,  and  Patrick  ever  longed 
to  return  to  the  same  country  with  the  tidings  of  salva- 
tion. .  .  Great  missionaries  should  be  great  generals,  they 
require  the  peculiar  talents  demanded  in  great  conquerors.  .  . 
Such  an  one  was  St.  Patrick." 

On  May  1,  1850,  Arthur  William  Patrick  Albert,  Duke 
of  Connaught,  was  born.  This  son  of  Victoria  is  named  for 
Arthur  Wellesley,  the  great  Duke  of  Wellington,  King 
William,  St.  Patrick,  and  his  own  father.  Prince  Albert. 
Truly  Patrick's  name  is  in  distinguished  company.  And  it 
is  a  little  curious,  though  perhaps  not  intended  when  the 
title  was  conferred,  that  Patrick  gathered  in  Connaught  the 
greatest  harvest  of  converts  he  ever  received  at  one  time. 
He  baptized  twelve  thousand  persons  there  in  a  great  out- 
pouring of  the  Spirit  of  God,  including  Amalgaid,  the  king 
of  Connaught,  and  his  seven  sons. 

In  the  "  Writings  of  Patrick,  the  Apostle  of  Ireland,"  as 
a  work  recently  issued  by  the  Religious  Tract  Society,  of 
London,  is  called,  its  editor,  Dr.  Wright,  Bampton  lecturer 
for  1878  in  the  University  of  Oxford,  writes : 

1 "  The  Early  Scottish  Church,"  p.  99. 

«  "  Ireland  and  the  Celtic  Church,  pp.  46,  47,  62. 


ST.  Patrick's  great  work.  123 

The  modesty  and  humility  exhibited  by  Patrick  in  the  account 
presented  of  the  marvelous  success  of  his  mission  is  most  remark- 
able. There  is,  moreover,  in  his  writings  a  display  of  genuine  mis- 
sionary spirit,  which,  as  it  has  roused  many  a  Christian  worker  to 
action  in  the  past,  may  well  stir  up  many  in  our  day  also.  Patrick 
everywhere  displays  an  earnest  trust  and  faith  in  the  constant  pro- 
tection of  a  gracious  Providence.  His  love  for  the  souls  of  men  among 
whom  he  labored,  notwithstanding  the  bad  treatment  he  received  at 
their  hands,  is  remarkable  A  simple,  unatiected  piety,  wholly 
devoid  of  ostentation,  breathes  forth  in  every  paragraph  of  his 
writings.  They  ought  to  be  dear  to  all  lovers  of  the  gospel  of  Christ 
to  whatsoever  creed  they  may  belong. 

Patrick's  writings  ought  to  be  prized  by  all  who  delight  in  such 
devotional  works  as  the  "Confessions  of  Augustine,"  or  the  "Imi- 
tation of  Christ,"  of  Thomas  a  Kempis.  Much  food  will  be  found 
for  the  devotional  life  in  the  simple  "remains"  of  the  apostle  of 
Ireland. 1 


1  Patrick's  "  Writings,"  pp.  26,  27,  28.    Keligious  Tract  Society  of  London. 


CHAPTER  XL 

ST.  Patrick's  confession,  and  his  letter  to  coroticus. 

Authenticity  of  the  Pamphlets. 

We  shall  mention  only  a  few  of  the  numerous  reasons 
why  these  two  works  of  the  Apostle  of  Ireland  are  regarded 
as  genuine. 

Books  written  a  little  over  two  hundred  years  after  St. 
Patrick's  death,  such  as  those  of  Tirechan,  Muirchu  Maccu- 
Mactheni,  and  Adamnan,  who  were  good  but  credulous 
men,  abound  in  miracles,  preposterous  and  sometimes  cruel ; 
and  even  Venerable  Bede  himself,  occasionally  disgraces  his 
noble  history  by  similar  fictions.  St.  Patrick's  writings  are 
entirely  free  from  such  fables.  They  read  like  sober  and 
truthful  records. 

St.  Patrick  states  that  he  writes  poor  Latin.  He  makes 
grammatical  mistakes,  and  has  a  somewhat  barbarous 
style ;  but  this  is  to  be  expected  from  a  Briton  who  learned 
Latin  in  his  boyhood,  studied  for  some  time  in  France,  and 
preached  in  Irish  during  many  years.  Any  one  acquainted 
with  the  "  History  of  the  Franks  "  of  Gregory,  who  became 
bishop  of  Tours,  in  France,  in  A.  d.  573,  will  see  such  a  re- 
semblance to  Patrick's  Latin  as  will  speak  strongly  for  the 
genuineness  of  his  "Confession,"  and  of  his  "Letter  to 
Coroticus." 

The  ancient  "  Book  of  Armagh,"  still  preserved  in  Trin- 
ity College,  Dublin,  has  evidence,  universally  accepted 
bv  learned  men,  that  it  was  in  existence  as  early  as  a.  d. 
807.  It  contains  among  other  writings,  a  copy  of  St.  Pat- 
rick's "  Confession,"  at  the  end  of  which  there  is  a  note  of  the 
transcriber,  reading :  "  Thus  far  the  volume  which  Patrick 
124 


ST.    PATRICK'S   CONFESSION.  125 

wrote  with  his  owd  hand."  i     There  are  strong  reasons  for 
receiving  the  testimony  of  the  copyist  as  the  truth. 

Tirechan's  "Notes  on  St.  Patrick's  Life,"  written  in  the 
end  of  the  seventh  century,  are  in  the  "  Book  of  Armaeh." 
He  quotes  St.  Patrick's  "  Confession,"  calling  it  "  his  writ- 
ing [seriptio  sim].  These  are  weighty  testimonies  to  the  gen- 
uineness of  the  "  Confession." 

There  is  a  complete  absence  of  motive  to  commit  a  forgery 
in  the  "  Confession  "  or  the  "  Letter  to  Coroticus."  "  The 
Book  of  the  Angel,"  in  the  "  Book  of  Armagh,"  was  in- 
tended to  magnify  the  importance  of  the  see  of  Armagh,  as 
a  secondary  object,  though  it  is  introduced  first;  and  then,  as 
its  primary  aim,  to  link  Ireland  to  the  pope  by  appeals'  to 
Rome.  In  it,  there  is  a  strong  reason  to  suspect  fraud.  But, 
in  the  "Confession  "  and  the  "  Epistle  to  Coroticus,"  there  is 
absolutely  nothing  upon  which  to  base  a  charge  o*f  forgery. 
Both  works  are  intensely  earnest  and  religious,  full  of  Script- 
ure and  of  the  spirit  of  the  Redeemer ;  and  they  impress 
the  thoughful  reader  with  the  conviction  that  St.  Patrick, 
their  author,  was  one  of  the  greatest  and  holiest  men  who' 
ever  preached  salvation  through  the  Cross;  and  that  these 
are  his  genuine  writings. 

Of  the  "Letter  to  Coroticus,"  Professor  Stokes  justly  says: 
"ItsLatinity  is  apparently  of  the  same  age  and  from  the 
same  pen  as  the  '  Confession.'  It  quotes  the  old  Latin  ver- 
sion of  the  Bible  [earlier  than  Jerome's  *  Vulgate'],  and  is 
therefore  generally  accepted  by  critics  as  genuine."  '  Nichol- 
son,' another  competent  writer,  affirms  that  St.  Patrick's 
"  Epistle  to  Coroticus,"  and  his  epistle  to  the  Irish,  commonly 
called  his  "Confession,"  are  now  by  common  consent  received 
and  acknowledged  to  be  the  undoubted  productions  of  the 
saint." 


J  "Hiic  usque  volumen  quod   Patricias  manu   conscripsit  sua."  "Government 
Tripartite  Life  of  Patrick,"  Introduction,  p.  XCII. 

^^  Ireland  and  (he  Celtic  Church."  p.  28.     London,  1888. 
!5t.  Patrick,  Apostle  of  Ireland,"  p.  .5.,  Dublin,  1868. 


126         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

The  "  Cottonian  MS.,"  now  in  the  British  Museum,  col- 
lated with  the  Armagh  codex  of  the  ''  Confession,"  edited  by 
Whitley  Stokes,  D.  C.  L.,  in  his  "  Tripartite  Life  of  Patrick, 
with  other  Documents  Eelating  to  that  Saint,"  has  furnished 
the  Latin  text  for  the  following  translation. 

In  Patrick's  "  Confession,"  as  he  wrote  it,  there  are  no 
chapters ;  but  this  arrangement  has  been  already  adopted 
with  advantage  by  others. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE   "  CONFESSION  "    OF   ST.    PATRICK,  OR  "  THE   EPISTLE  TO 
THE   IRISH." 

Patrick's  parents— His  birthplace— His  captivity— His  conversion 
among  Irish  pagans— His  desire  to  glorify  God— His  Creed— His 
deficiency  in  learning — God  alone  aroused  and  saved  him — He  is 
bound  to  labor  faithfully  for  Ireland. 

I,  Patrick,  a  sinner,  the  rudest  and  least  of  all  the  faith- 
fid,  and  most  contemptible  to  great  numbers,  had  Calpornius 
for  my  father,  a  deacon,  a  son  of  the  late  Potitus,  the  pres- 
byter, who  dwelt  in  the  village  of  Banavan  Tibernise,  for 
he  had  a  small  farm  at  hand  with  the  place  where  I  was  cap- 
tured. I  was  then  almost  sixteen  years  of  age.  I  did  not 
know  the  true  God  [as  my  Saviour]  ;  and  was  taken  to  Ire- 
land in  captivity  with  many  thousand  men  in  accordance  with 
our  deserts,  because  we  walked  at  a  distance  from  God,  and 
did  not  observe  his  commandments,  and  were  disobedient  to 
our  priests,  who  warned  us  about  our  salvation  ;  and  the  Lord 
brought  down  upon  us  his  swift  anger,  and  scattered  us 
among  many  nations,  even  to  the  end  of  the  earth,  where  now 
my  littleness  is  seen  among  strangers ;  and  there  the  Lord 
gave  me  a  knowledge  of  my  unbelief,  that,  though  late,  I 
might  remember  my  transgressions^  and  that  I  should  be 
converted  with  my  whole  heart  to  the  Lord,  my  God ;  who 
had  regard  for  my  humiliation,  and  compassionated  ray  youth 
and  ignorance,  and  protected  me  before  I  knew  him,  and 
before  I  had  discretion,  or  could  distinguish  between  good 
and  evil,  and  shielded  and  soothed  me  as  a  father  does  a 
son. 

Wherefore,  I  am  not  able  to  keep  silence,  nor  would  it  in- 
deed be  proper,  about  such  great  benefits,  and  such  great 
grace  as  the  Lord  was  pleased  to  grant  me  in  the  land  of  my 
captivity ;  because  this  is  our  recompense  [to  Him],  that,  after 
chastening  [brings  us]  to  the  knowledge  of  God,  we  should 
exalt  and  confess  his  wonderful  works  before  every  nation 
which  is  under  the  whole  heaven. 

127 


128         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

ST.  Patrick's  creed. 

Because  there  is  no  other  God,  neither  ever  was,  nor  shall 
be  after  him,  except  God  the  Father,  unheyotten,  without  hegin- 
ing,from  whom  is  all  beginning,  upholding  all  things,  as  we 
declare ;  and  his  son,  Jesus  Christ,  whom  we  testify  surely  to 
have  been  always  with  the  Father  before  the  foundation  of  the 
tmrld ;  spiritually  with  the  Father;  in  an  ineffable  manner 
begotten  before  all  beginning ;  by  him  the  things  visible  and 
invisible  were  n^ade;  being  made  man,  and  having  conquered 
death,  he  was  received  into  the  heavens  with  the  Father.  And 
he  gave  him  all  dominion  over  every  name;  of  those  in  heaven, 
and  of  those  on  earth,  and  of  those  under  the  earth;  that 
every  tongue  should  confess  to  him,  forasmuch  as  Jesus 
Christ  is  Lord  and  God;  in  whom  we  believe,  and  whose 
coming  speedily  as  the  future  Judge  of  the  living  and  the  dead, 
we  expect,  icho  will  render  to  every  one  according  to  his  deeds, 
and  hath' poured  out  upon  us  abundantly  the  gift  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  the  pledge  of  immortality,  who  co7istituted  the  believing 
and  obedient  the  sons  of  God,  the  Father,  and  joint  heirs  with 
Christ,  whom  we  confess  and  worship,  one  God  in  the  Trinity 
of  the  sacred  na^ne. 

For  he  himself  hath  said,  by  the  prophets,  "  Call  upon  me 
in  the  day  of  thy  tribulation,  and  I  will  deliver  thee,  and 
thou  shalt  extol  me."  And  again  he  saith,  "  It  is  honorable 
to  reveal  and  confess  the  works  of  God."  Although  I  am 
imperfect  in  many  things,  I  desire  my  brethren  and  my  rela- 
tives to  know  my  principles,  that  they  may  fully  understand 
the  desire  of  my  soul.  I  am  not  ignorant  of  the  testimony 
of  my  Lord,  who  witnesses  in  the  psalm,  "  Thou  shalt  destroy 
those  who  utter  a  falsehood."  And  again,  "The  mouth  which 
lies  kills  the  soul."  And  the  same  Lord  in  the  gospel 
says,  "  The  idle  word  which  men  shall  speak,  for  it  they  shall 
give  an  account  on  the  day  of  judgment."  Therefore  [I 
sought]  with  fear  and  trembling  to  dread  exceedingly  this 
sentence  on  that  day  when  no  one  can  withdraw  or  conceal 
himself,  but  we  shall  all  render  an  account  even  of  our 
«^mallest  sins  before  the  tribunal  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 


ST.  Patrick's  confession.  129 

Wherefore  formerly  I  proposed  to  write,  but  hesitated  even 
until  now,  for  I  feared   lest  I  should  fall  under  [the  censo- 
rious] language  of  men,  because  I  have  not  learned  as  others, 
who,  instructed    in  the   best  manner   and   therefore   rightly 
in  every  way,  both  drank  in  sacred  literature  in  a  proper 
manner  and  have  never  changed  their  language  from  child- 
hood, but    rather     constantly    added    to    its   improvement. 
For  our  language  and  discourse  are  translated  into  a  foreign 
tongue,  as   can  easily  be  proved  by  the  drivel  of  my  writing 
after  what  manner  I   have   been  instructed  and  educated  in 
languages ;  because  the  wise  man  says,  "  By  the  tongue  reason 
is  discerned,  and  knowledge  and  the  teaching  of  truth."     But 
what  avails  an  excuse  even  in  accordance  with  truth,  especi- 
ally with  presumption?     Since  indeed  now  in  my  old  age  I 
myself  seek  to  perfect  that  which  I  did  not  thoroughly  learn 
before  in  my  youth,  because    [my  sins]  were  a  hindrance  to 
learning  thoroughly  what  I   had  read  through  before.     But 
who  believes  me,  although  I  should  say,  as  I  have  declared 
before,  that  when  a  youth,  nay,  almost  a  boy  in  speech,  I  was 
captured,  before  I  knew  what  1  ought  to  seek,  or  what  I  ought 
to  shun.    Therefore,  I  blush  to-day,  and  greatly  fear  to  expose 
my  unskillfulness,  and  not  being   eloquent  I  cannot  express 
myself  with  the  brevity  of   an    [able]   speech,  even  as  the 
Spirit  moves,  and  the  mind  and  the  endowed  understanding 
point  out. 

But  if  it  had  been  given  to  me  as  to  others,  nevertheless,  I 
would  not  be  silent  on  account  of  the  recompense,  although 
it  seems  to  some  that  I  place  myself  forward  in  this  matter 
with  my  unskillfulness  and  slower  speech,  but  it  is  wriiten, 
"Stammering  tongues  shall  speedily  learn  to  speak  peace." 
How  much  more  ought  we  to  seek  this,  we  who  are  the 
"epistle  of  Christ"  for  salvation  even  to  the  end  of  the 
earth,  though  not  eloquent,  yet  firm,  and  most  indelibly 
written  in  your  hearts,  "  Not  with  ink,  but  by  the  Spirit  of 
the  living  God."  And  again  the  Spirit  testifies,  "  And  hus- 
bandry was  appointed  by  the  Most  High."  Therefore,^  I, 
first  a  rustic,  a  fugitive,  uneducated,  ignorant  how  to  provide 
for  the  future,  but  I  know  this  most  assuredly  that  before  I 
was  humbled  I  was  like  a  stone  which  lay  in  deep  mud,  and 
he  who  is  mighty  came  and  in  his  own  way  sustained  me,  and 
he  mdeed  raised  me  up  and  placed  me  upon  the  top  of  the 
wall.  And  hence  I  ought  to  cry  out  loudly  to  make  some 
return  also  to  the  Lord  for  his  so  great  benefits,  here  and  in 


130         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

eternity,  which  the  minds  of  men  cannot  estimate.  Therefore 
be  ye  astonished,  both  great  and  small,  who  fear  God.  And 
ye  rhetoricians,  who  do  not  know  the  Lord,  hear  therefore 
and  examine  carefully,  who  aroused  me,  a  fool,  from  their 
midst,  who  appeared  to  be  wise  and  skillful  in  the  law,  pow- 
erful in  speech,  and  in  every  matter?  And  he  has  inspired 
me,  though  abhorred  by  this  world  beyond  others,  if  indeed 
I  be  such  ;  but  on  condition  that  with  fear  and  reverence  and 
without  complaint  I  should  faithfully  serve  the  nation  to 
which  the  love  of  Christ  transferred  me,  and  gave  me  during 
my  life,  if  I  should  be  worthy ;  in  short,  that  with  humility 
and  truth  I  should  serve  them. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

ST.  Patrick's  confession  (Continued). 

Patrick's  desire  to  preach~He  tends  cattle— Frequency  and  fervor 
of  his  praj'Crs— His  dream  of  freedom — His  escape  from  slavery — 
His  repulse  at  the  ship — Successful  supplication— The  salvation  of 
heathen  sailors— Hunger  in  the  desert — God  sends  food — Patrick 
will  eat  nothing  offered  to  idols — Temptation  of  Satan. 

Therefore,  in  the  measure  of  the  faith  of  the  Trinity,  it 
behooves  me  to  extol  without  any  apprehension  of  danger 
and  to  make  known  the  gifts  of  Grod  and  his  everlasting 
consolation,  and  faithfully,  without  fear,  to  spread  the  name 
of  God  everywhere,  so  that,  even  after  my  death,  I  may 
leave  as  legacies  to  my  brethren  and  to  my  sons,  whom  I 
have  baptized  in  the  Lord,  so  many  thousand  men.  And  I 
was  not  worthy,  nor  deserving,  that  the  Lord  should  yield 
this  to  his  servant,  that  after  suffering  afflictions  and  so  great 
calamities,  after  captivity,  after  many  years,  he  should  give 
me  so  great  favor  among  that  nation,  which  I  formerly  in  my 
youth  never  hoped  for,  nor  thought  of 

But  after  I  came  to  Ireland  I  daily  fed  cattle,  and  I  prayed 
often  during  the  day ;  the  love  of  God  and  his  fear  increased 
more  and  more,  and  my  strength  of  mind  became  so  vigor- 
ous that  in  one  day  I  made  as  many  as  a  hundred  prayers, 
and  in  the  night  nearly  the  same  numlDer ;  so  when  I  remained 
in  the  woods  and  in  the  mountain  [Slemish,  County  Antrim], 
I  was  aroused  before  daylight  for  prayer,  through  snow, 
through  frost,  through  rain,  and  suffered  no  injury  from  it; 
neither  was  there  any  slothfulness  in  me,  as  I  now  perceive, 
because  then  the  Spirit  was  fervent  within  me. 

And  there,  indeed,  on  a  certain  night,  I  heard  in  my  sleep 
a  voice  saying  to  me,  "  Thou  fastest  well,  thou  art  quickly 
about  to  go  to  thy  country."  And  again,  after  a  very  short 
interval,  I  heard  an  answer  saying  to  me,  "  Behold  thy  ship 
is  ready."  And  it  was  not  near,  but  perhaps  two  hundred 
miles ;  and  I  had  never  been  there,  neither  did  I  know  any 
of  the  men  there.     Afterward  I  took  to  flight,  and  left  the 

131 


132         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH    CHURCHES. 

man  with  whom  I  had  been  six  years ;  and  I  came  in  the 
strength  of  the  Lord,  who  directed  my  journey  for  good  ; 
and  I  feared  nothing  until  I  came  to  the  ship.  And  on  the 
day  of  my  arrival  the  vessel  moved  forward  from  her  place, 
and  I  asked  them  that  I  might  go  away  and  sail  with  them. 
And  it  displeased  the  captain,  who  replied  sharply  with  anger, 
"  By  no  means  seek  to  go  with  us."  And  when  I  heard  this 
I  withdrew  I'rom  them  to  go  to  the  hut  where  I  lodged. 
And  on  the  way  I  began  to  pray,  and  befoi'e  1  finished  my 
supplication  I  heard  one  of  them  shouting  loudly  after  me, 
"  Come,  quickly,  for  these  men  call  thee.''  And  immedi- 
ately I  returned  to  them,  and  they  began  to  say  to  me, 
*'  Come,  for  we  receive  you  in  good  faith ;  make  a  friendship 
Vfiih.  us  in  any  way  you  wish."  So  on  that  day  I  refused  to 
make  friendship  with  them  on  account  of  the  fear  of  God, 
because  they  were  heathen.  Nevertheless,  I  hoped  of 
them  that  they  would  come  into  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ, 
because  they  were  heathen ;  and  on  this  account  I  continued 
with  them  [and  we  sailed  immediately]. 

After  three  days  we  landed,  and  we  journeyed  twenty-eight 
days  through  a  desert,  and  their  food  was  exhausted,  and 
hunger  prevailed  over  them.  And  one  day  the  captain 
began  to  say  to  me,  "  What  do  you  say.  Christian  ;  your  God 
is  great  and  almighty,  why  therefore  can  you  not  pray  for  us, 
for  we  are  in  danger  of  famishing?  For  it  will  be  difficult 
for  us  ever  again  to  see  a  human  being."  But  I  said  to  them, 
plainly :  "Turn  with  confidence  and  with  the  whole  heart  to 
the  Lord  our  God,  for  there  is  nothing  impossible  to  him, 
that  he  may  send  you  food  this  day  on  your  way,  until  you 
are  satisfied,  for  everywhere  there  is  plenty  with  him."  And 
by  God's  assistance  so  it  happened.  Behold,  a  herd  of  swine 
appeared  in  the  road  before  our  eyes  ;  and  they  killed  many 
of  them,  and  greatly  refreshed,  they  remained  there  two 
nights  ;  and  they  were  revived  by  their  flesh,  for  many  of 
them  fainted  and  were  left  half  dead  near  the  road.  And 
after  these  things  they  gave  God  the  warmest  thanks,  and  I 
was  honored  in  their  eyes.  And  from  that  day  they  had  food 
in  abundance. 

They  found  wild  honey  also  and  offered  some  of  it  to  me  ; 
and  one  of  them  said,  "  This  has  been  offered  in  sacrifice." 
Thanks  to  God  !  I,  therefore,  tasted  none  of  it.  On  the  same 
niuht,  while  I  was  sleeping,  Satan  strongly  tempted  me, 
which  I  shall  remember  as  long  as  I  shall  be  in  this  body ; 


ST.   PATRICK'S  CONFESSION.  133 

he  fell  upon  me  as  a  great  rock,  and  I  had  no  power  over 
my  members.  But  whence  it  came  to  me  into  my  mind  that 
I  should  call  Helias  I  know  not ;  and  during  these  things  I 
saw  the  sun  arise  in  the  heavens,  and  whilst  I  called  Heltas  ^ 
with  all  my  might,  behold,  the  splendor  of  the  sun  fell  upon 
me,  and  immediately  shook  from  me  the  [whole]  wei^rht. 
And  I  believe  that  I  was  assisted  by  Christ,  my  Lord,  [and 
his  Spirit  even  then]  was  crying  out  for  me,  and  I  hope  that 
it  will  be  so  in  the  day  of  my  oppression,  as  the  Lord  says  in 
the  Gospel ;  "  It  is  not  you  that  speak,  but  the  Spirit  of  your 
Father  that  speaketh  in  you." 

1  According  to  Dr.  Todd  "  Helias  "  is  equivalent  to  the  Hebrew  Eli,  "  My  God." 


M 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

ST.  Patrick's  confession  (Contifiued), 

Another  captivity — Provisions  for  its  wants — In  Britain  with  his 
parents — His  missionary  call  to  Ireland — The  Spirit  praying  within 
him — The  Lord  aids  him  when  accused — The  writing  against  him 
in  a  vision — A  good  conscience — Patrick's  divine  gift  when  a  cap- 
tive— His  gratitude  to  God. 

And  again,  after  many  years,  I  was  taken  captive  once 
more.  On  that  first  night  I  remained  with  them  I  heard  a 
divine  communication  saying  to  me,  "  During  two  months 
thou  shalt  be  with  them,"  which  happened  accordingly.  On 
the  sixtieth  night  the  Lord  delivered  me  out  of  their  hands. 
Behold,  on  the  journey  he  provided  for  us  food  and  fire  and 
dry  Aveather  every  day,  until  on  the  fourteenth  day  we  met  with 
men.  As  I  intimated  above,  we  journeyed  for  twenty-eight 
days  through  a  desert,  and  on  the  very  night  on  which  we  came 
among  human  beings  our  food  was  all  gone.  And  again, 
after  a  few  years,  I  was  in  the  Britains  [Great  Britain]  with 
my  parents,  who  received  me  as  a  son,  and  besought  me 
earnestly  \_ex  fide]  that  now,  at  least,  after  the  many  hard- 
ships which  I  had  borne,  that  I  would  never  depart  from 
them  again. 

And  there  I  saw,  indeed,  in  the  bosom  of  the  night,  a  man 
coming  as  it  were  from  Ireland,  whose  name  was  Victoricus, 
with  countless  letters,  one  of  which  he  gave  to  me ;  and  I 
read  the  beginning  of  the  letter  containing,  "The  Voice  of 
the  Irish  "  ;  and  whilst  I  read  aloud  the  beginning  of  the 
letter,  I  myself  thought,  indeed,  in  my  mind  that  1  heard  the 
voice  of  those  who  were  near  the  wood  of  Fochlut,  which  is 
adjacent  to  the  western  sea.  And  they  cried  out  as  if  with 
one  voice,  "  We  entreat  thee,  holy  youth,  to  come  and  hence- 
forth walk  among  us."  And  I  was  deeply  moved  in  heart, 
and  was  unable  to  read  further ;  and  so  I  awoke.  Thanks 
be  to  God  that  after  very  many  years  the  Lord  granted  to 
them  according  to  their  cry.  And  on  another  night,  whether 
within  me,  or  near  me,  I  know  not,  God  knows,  with  most  skill- 
134 


ST.    PATRICK'S   CONFESSION.  135 

fill  words  which  I  heard  but  could  not  understand,  except  at 
the  conclusion  of  the  speech,  he  thus  spoke,  "  He  who  gave 
his  life  for  thee,  he  himself  it  is  who  speaks  in  thee  "  ;  and  so 
I  awoke  rejoicing. 

And  again,  I  saw  him  praying  in  me,  and  he  was,  as  it 
were  within  my  body,  and  I  heard  above  me,  that  is,  above 
the  inner  man,  and  there  he  was  praying  mightily  with 
groans.  Meanwhile  I  was  astonished  and  marveled,  and 
pondered  who  it  could  be  that  was  praying  in  me,  but  at  the 
end  of  the  prayer  he  expressed  himself  that  he  was  the 
Spirit,  and  so  I  awoke  and  recollected  that  the  apostle  says, 
"  The  Spirit  helps  the  infirmity  of  our  prayer ;  for  we  know 
not  what  we  should  pray  for  as  we  ought,  but  the  Spirit 
himself  pleadeth  for  us  with  unutterable  groanings,  which 
cannot  be  expressed  in  words."  And  again,  "  The  Lord,  our 
Advocate,  maketh  intercession  for  us." 

And  when  I  was  attacked  by  some  of  my  seniors,  who 
came  and  [urged]  my  sins  against  my  [proposed]  difficult 
episcopate,  so  that  on  that  day  I  was  strongly  impelled  to 
fall  away,  here  and  in  eternity.  But  the  Lord  spared  a 
proselyte  and  a  stranger  for  his  name's  sake ;  he  graciously 
and  mightily  succored  me  in  this  treading  under,  for  in  the 
guilt  and  reproach  I  did  not  come  out  badly.  I  pray  God 
that  it  be  not  reckoned  to  them  as  an  occasion  of  sin.  After 
thirty  years  they  found  me,  and  [they  brought]  against  [me] 
the  word  which  I  had  confessed  before  I  was  a  deacon,  and 
which  I  had,  through  perplexity  and  with  a  sorrowful  mind, 
made  known  to  my  dearest  friend,  what  I  had  done  in  my 
boyhood,  on  one  day,  nay  in  one  hour,  because  I  was  not  yet 
[fitted]  to  overcome.  I  know  not,  God  knows,  if  at  that 
time  I  was  fifteen  years  of  age.  And  I  did  not  put  my  trust 
in  the  living  God  from  infancy,  but  I  continued  in  death 
and  in  unbelief  until  I  suffered  severe  chastisement ;  and  I 
was  humbled  to  [accept]  the  truth  by  hunger  and  nakedness, 
and  that  daily.  On  the  other  hand,  I  did  not  of  my  own 
accord  go  to  Ireland  until  I  became  almost  dejected  [prope 
defiGiebam~\.  But  this  was  rather  good  for  me,  for  by  it  I  was 
corrected  by  the  Lord  ;  and  he  made  me  fit  this  day  that  I 
should  be  what  was  once  far  from  me ;  that  I  should  be  filled 
with  anxiety  and  be  concerned  for  the  salvation  of  others ; 
since,  at  that  time,  1  did  not  think  even  of  myself 

Then  on  that  day  on  which   I  was  reproached  for  those 
remembered  things  above  mentioned ;  on  that  night,  I  saw  in 


136         ANCIENT   BRITISH    AND    IRISH    CHURCHES. 

a  vision  of  the  uight  that  there  was  a  writing  opposite  to  my 
face  without  honor.  And  in  the  meanwhile  I  heard  a  divine 
communication  saying  to  me,  "  We  have  seen  with  displeas- 
ure the  face  of  a  designatiis,^  with  his  name  removed."  He 
did  not  say,  "  You  have  seen  with  displeasure,"  but  "  We 
have  seen  with  displeasure,"  as  if  he  had  joined  himself  to 
me,  as  he  has  said,  "  He  that  toucheth  you  is  as  one  who 
toucheth  the  pupil  of  my  eye."  Therefore  I  gave  thanks  to 
him  who  comforted  me  in  all  things,  that  he  did  not  hinder 
me  from  the  journey  which  I  had  decided  on,  and  also 
from  my  work  which  I  have  learned  from  Christ  my  Lord. 
But  the  more  from  that  time  I  felt  in  myself  no  small  power, 
and  my  faith  was  approved  before  God  and  men.  But,  there- 
fore, I  say  boldly  that  my  conscience  does  not  blame  me  here, 
or  for  the  future.  I  have  God  as  my  witness  that  I  have  not 
lied  in  the  statement  which  I  have  related  to  you. 

But  I  grieve  more  for  my  most  valued  friend  to  w^hom  I 
entrusted  even  my  life,  that  we  should  have  deserved  to  listen 
to  such  statements.  And  I  learned  from  some  of  my  brethren 
before  that  defense,  that  when  I  was  not  present,  nor  in  the 
Britains,  nor  did  it  originate  from  me,  that  he  also,  in  my 
absence,  entered  into  a  conflict  for  me.  He  himself  said  to 
me  with  his  own  mouth,  "  Behold  thou  art  to  be  granted  the 
dignity  of  a  bishop,"  of  which  I  was  not  worthy.  Where- 
fore, then,  did  it  come  to  him  afterward,  that  before  all,  good 
and  bad,  he  should  publicly  dishonor  me,  although  before, 
of  his  own  accord,  he  joyfully  granted  [that  honor  to  me]. 
It  is  the  Lord  who  is  greater  than  all.     I  have  said  enough. 

I  ought  not,  however,  to  hide  the  gift  of  God  which  he 
bestowed  upon  us  in  the  land  of  my  captivity ;  for  there  I 
earnestly  sought  him  and  I  found  him  there,  and  he  kept  me 
from  all  iniquities ;  I  believe  so,  because  of  his  Spirit  dwell- 
ing in  me ;  who  has  wrought  in  me  again  boldly  even  to  this 
day.  But  God  knows  that  if  a  man  had  spoken  this  to  me 
I  might  perhaps  have  been  ^silent  for  the  love  of  Christ. 
Wherefore,  I  give  unwearied  thanks  to  my  God  who  pre- 
served me  faithful  in  the  day  of  my  temptation,  so  that  I 
may  to-day  with  confidence  offer  my  soul  a  sacrifice  to  him, 
a  living  victim  to  Christ  my  Lord,  who  preserved  me  in  all 
my  straits,  so  that  I  may  say,  "  Who  am  I,  Lord  ?  and  what  is 
my  calling,  that  thou  hast  co-operated  with  me  by  such  diving 
power?  "so  that  to-day  I  can  continually  exult  among  the 

1  Patrick,  the  bishop  designate. 


ST.    PATRICK'S   CONFESSION.  I37 

Gentiles,  aud  extol  thy  name  wherever  I  shall  be  not  onlv  in 
prosperity  but  even  in  adversity ;  that  whatsoever'may  happ  u 
to  me  either  good  or  ev.I,  I  ought  to  bear  it  alike,  and  a'wavs 
give  thanks  to  God,  who  has  shown  me  that  I  need  et  no  S 
to  my  trust  m  h,m   who  cannot  be  doubted,  and  that  he  w 
dZ  Z'  '1  ^^'  \ '^r^^^  J.*""  'S""^"^"''  ^'>«''W  in  these  Zt 

derfnf  th^f  T  ""'^'''f'^.'  '^''  '"''/•"'  "^•"'^'^"^  «"d  so  won- 
derful; that  I  may  imitate  some  of  those  of  whom  long  before 
the  Lord  predicted  that  they  should  publish  his  gospel  "for 
a  testimony  to  all  nations  before  the  end  of  the  world  "  which 
has  therefore,  as  we  have  seen,  been  so  fulfilled.     Behold  we 

TnX  '?""il*'''-^"'P''  ^"^  ''«<="  P^^a'^'-ed  everywhere, 
in  places  where  there  is  no  man  beyond. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

ST.  Patrick's  confession  (Continued). 

Patrick's  dangers  and  deliverances — Abounding  grace  fitted  him  for 
his  mission — His  willingness  to  die  for  his  Master — He  aimed  at  the 
salvation  of  multitudes — The  gospel  for  all  nations— Irish  converts 
— Brigit — The  Spirit  hinders  him  from  visiting  Britain  or  France 
*— The  power  of  the  tempter — His  faithfulness. 

It  would  occupy  much  time  to  give  an  account  of  all  my 
labors  in  detail,  or  even  in  part.  Briefly  I  may  tell  how  the 
most  righteous  God  frequently  delivered  me  from  slavery, 
and  from  twelve  dangers  in  which  my  life  was  in  peril, 
besides  many  snares  and  evils  which  I  cannot  express  in 
words,  neither  would  I  trouble  my  readers.  But  I  have 
God,  the  Creator,  who  knew  all  things  even  before  they 
were  made,  as  he  knew  me,  his  poor  pupil.  So,  however, 
a  divine  communication  very  often  admonished  me  [and  I 
asked]  whence  I  obtained  this  wisdom  which  was  not  in 
me,  I,  who  neither  knew  the  number  of  my  days,  nor  had  a 
knowledge  of  God  ?  Whence  did  I  receive  afterward  the 
gift,  so  great,  so  salutary  to  acknowledge  God  and  to  love 
him,  that  I  should  leave  my  country  and  parents,  and  many 
gifts  which  were  offered  to  me  with  weeping  and  tears  ?  And 
I  also  offended  against  my  wish  certain  of  my  seniors.  But 
God  ruled  it  that  in  no  way  did  I  consent,  or  comply  with 
them.  It  was  not  my  grace,  but  God  who  conquered  in  me 
and  resisted  them  all,  so  that  I  came  to  the  Hibernian  people 
to  preach  the  gospel,  and  endure  insults  from  unbelievers, 
and  hear  reproaches  about  my  wanderings,  and  [suffer]  many 
persecutions,  even  to  chains,  and  that  I  should  give  my 
nobility  for  the  advantage  of  others.  And  if  I  should  be 
worthy  I  am  ready  to  lay  down  my  life  without  delay  and 
most  gladly  for  his  name ;  and  there  I  desire  to  spend  it  even 
until  death,  if  the  Lord  permit.  For  I  am  greatly  indebted 
to  God,  who  bestowed  on  me  so  much  grace  that  many  people 
have  through  me  been  born  again  to  God,  and  that  every- 
where clergymen  should  be  ordained  for  a  people  lately 
coming  to  the  faith,  whom  the  Lord  drew  from  the  ends  of 
138 


ST.   PATRICK'S   CONFESSION.  139 

the  earth,  as  he  had  promised  by  the  prophets,  "To  thee  the 
Gentiles  will  come  and  say,  As  our  fathers  made  false  idols 
and  there  is  no  advantage  in  them."  And  again,  "I  have 
se  thee  to  be  a  light  for  the  Gentles,  that  thou  mayest  be  for 
salvation  even  unto  the  end  of  the  earth."  And  there  I  wish 
to  await  His  promise,  who  never  lies,  as  he  promises  in  the 
T'^r-.  I^^  shall  come  from  the  east  and  the  west,  and 
shall  sit  down  with  Abraham  and  Isaac  and  Jacob."  So  we 
trust  that  believers  will  come  from  the  whole  world 

Therefore,  we  ought  to  fish  well  and  diligently  as'the  Lord 
forewarns  and  teaches  us,  saying,  "  Come  after  me,  and  I  will 
make  you  fishers  of  men."  And  agam  he  says,  bv  the 
prophets  "Behold,  I  send  many  fishers  and  hunters, 'saith 
the  Lord,  etc.  Wherefore,  it  greatly  behooves  us  to  spread 
our  nets  so  that  a  copious  multitude  and  throng  mav  be 
taken  for  God ;  and  that  everywhere  there  might  be  cler^v- 
men  who  shall  baptize  and  exhort  a  people,  needy  and  deSr- 
ing  [the  Saviour's  approval] ;  as  the  Lord  in  the  gospel  fore- 
warns and  teaches,  saying :  "  Going,  therefore,  teach  all  nations, 
baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son 
and  ot  the  Holy  Spirit,  teaching  them  to  observe  all  thino-s 
whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you,  and,  lo,  I  am  with  you 
every  day,  even  to  the  end  of  the  world."  And  again  he 
says:  Going,  therefore,  into  the  whole  world,  preach  the 
gospel  to  every  creature.  He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized 
shall  be  saved  but  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  con- 
demned. And  again:  "This  gospel  of  the  kingdom  shall 
be  preached  in  the  whole  world  for  a  testimony  to  all  nations, 
and  then  shall  the  end  come." 

u  rf  ""u'  W^?""'^.^'  tjie  ford,  foretelling  by  the  prophet,  says  : 
It  shall  be  in  the  last  days,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I  will 
pour  out  of  my  Spirit  upon  all  flesh,  your  sons  and  your 
daughters  shall  prophesy,  and  your  sons  shall  see  visions,"  and 
vour  old  men  shall  dream  dreams.  And  upon  my  servants 
indeed,  and  upon  my  handmaids  in  those  days,  I  will  pour  out 
ot  my  Spirit  and  they  shall  prophesy."  And  in  Osee,  he 
says :  i  will  call  that  which  was  not  my  people,  my  people, 
and  that  which  had  not  obtained  mercy,  as  having  obtained 
mercy ;  and  it  shall  be  in  the  place  where  it  was  said, '  Ye  are 
not  my  people,  there  they  shall  be  called  sons  of  the  living 


o\'or 


Whence  then  is  it  that  in  Leland  they  who  have  n. ■^;- 
bad   any  knowledge   of  God,  and   until   now  have   alw;iv 


140         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH    CHURCHEg. 

worshiped  only  idols  and  unclean  things?  how  is  it,  that 
they  have  lately  become  the  people  of  the  Lord,  and  are 
called  the  sons  of  God  ?  Sons  of  the  Scots  [  Irish  ]  and 
daughters  of  chieftains  are  seen  to  be  monks  and  virgins  of 
Christ.  And  there  was  even  one  blessed  Irish  lady  [St. 
Brigit],  of  noble  birth,  very  beautiful,  an  adult,  ^vhom  I 
baptized.^ 

And  after  a  few  days  she  came  to  us  for  a  reason,  and 
informed  us  that  she  had  received  a  response  from  a  messen- 
ger of  God,  and  he  advised  her  that  she  should  be  a  virgin 
of  Christ  and  that  she  should  draw  near  to  God.  Thanks  be 
to  God,  on  the  sixth  day  from  that  she,  most  opportunely  and 
eagerly,  seized  on  that  which  also  all  the  virgins  of  God  do ; 
not  with  the  will  of  their  fathers,  but  they  suffer  persecution, 
and  false  reproaches  from  their  parents ;  and  nevertheless  the 
number  increases  the  more,  and  of  our  race  who  were  born 
[to  Christ]  there,  we  know  not  the  number  besides  widows 
and  continent  women.  But  the  women  who  are  held  in 
slavery  are  the  chief  sufferers ;  but  in  defiance  of  terrors 
and  threatenings  they  have  constantly  persevered.  But  the 
Lord  gave  grace  to  many  of  my  handmaids  for,  although 
they  are  prohibited,  they  courageously  imitate  him. 

Wherefore,  though  I  could  wdsh  to  leave  them,  and  had 
been  most  willingly  prepared  to  go  to  the  Britain s,  as  to  my 
country  and  parents,  and  not  that  only,  but  I  was  prepared 
to  visit  the  brethren  even  in  the  Gauls,  that  I  might  see  the 
face  of  the  saints  of  my  Lord.  God  knows  that  I  greatly 
desired  it ;  but  I  am  bound  by  the  Spirit  who  testifieth  to 
me,  that  if  I  should  do  this,  he  would  mark  me  as  guilty  of 
what  might  happen ;  and  I  fear  to  destroy  the  w^ork  which  I 
have  begun ;  and  not  I,  but  Christ  the  Lord,  who  com- 
manded me  to  come  and  be  with  them  the  rest  of  my  life, 
if  the  Lord  will,  and  if  he  will  keep  me  from  every  evil  way, 
that  I  may  not  sin  before  him.  But  I  hope  [to  do]  that 
which  I  ought ;  but  I  do  not  trust  myself  so  long  as  I  am  in 
this  body  of  death ;  for  strong  he  is  who  daily  tries  to  turn 
me  from  the  faith,  and  from  the  purity  of  religion,  proposed 
[in  myself]  not  feignedly ;  [which  I  will  observe]  even  to 
the  end  of  my  life,  to  Christ  my  Lord.  But  the  flesh, 
always  hostile,  leads  to  death,  that  is,  to  allurements  unlaw- 

1  Of  the  paragraph  beginning  with,  "Sons  of  the  Scots,"  and  ending  with,  "I 
baptized,"  Nicholson  justly  says:  "I  agree  with  Sir  W.  Bethara  that  these  sentences 
are  interpolated.    "  St.  Patrick,  the  Apostle  of  Ireland,"  p  lOf..     DiibMn.  1S68. 


ST.   PATRICK'S  CONFESSION.  141 

fully  enjoyed.  And  I  know  in  part  why  I  have  not  led  a 
perfect  life  like  other .  believers.  But  I  confess  to  my  Lord, 
and  I  do  not  blush  in  his  presence,  because  I  do  not  lie,  that 
from  the  time  that  I  kneAv  him  in  my  youth,  the  love  of  God 
has  increased  in  me,  and  his  fear ;  and  until  this  day,  by  the 
favor  of  the  Lord,  I  have  kept  the  faith. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

ST.  patkick's  confession  (^Concluded). 

Patrick's  defiance  of  unbelieving  enemies— God's  consideration  for 
his  trials— He  justifies  his  conduct  in  Ireland— He  refuses  gifts- 
He  baptizes  and  ordains  without  compensation— He  gives  largely 
of  his  own  means — His  life  is  in  danger— His  purpose  in  coming 
as  a  missionary  to  Ireland— He  gives  God  all  the  glory  of  his 
success. 

Let  him  who  wishes,  scoff  and  revile,  I  will  not  be  silent ; 
neither  will  I  conceal  the  signs  and  wonders  which  were 
given  to  me  by  the  Lord  many  years  before  they  came  to 
pass,  as  he  knew  all  things  even  before  the  time  of  this 
world.  Hence  I  ought  to  give  thanks  to  God  Vvdthoiit 
ceasing,  who  frequently  overlooked  my  folly  and  my  neg- 
ligence, even  out  of  place,  and  not  in  one  instance  only, 
that  he  might  not  be  vehemently  angry  with  me  ;  although  I 
was  given  to  be  his  helper,  I  did  not  quickly  yield  to  what 
was  pointed  out  to  me,  and  as  the  Spirit  suggested.  And  the 
Lord  had  pity  on  me  among  thousands  and  thousands,  because 
he  saw  in  me  that  I  was  ready,  but  that  in  my  case  for  these 
reasons  I  knew  not  what  to  do  about  my  position,  because 
many  were  hindering  this  mission,  and  already  talked  behind 
my  back,  and  said :  "  Why  does  this  man  put  himself  into 
danger  among  enemies  who  have  no  knowledge  of  God?" 
I  did  not  understand  that  [they  spoke]  for  the  sake  of  malice, 
but  it  was  in  their  opinion,  as  I  myself  also  admit,  on  account 
of  my  defect  in  learning.  And  I  did  not  quickly  recognize 
the  grace  that  was  then  in  me ;  but  now  I  understand  that  I 
ought  before  [to  have  obeyed,  God  calling  me]. 

Now,  therefore,  I  have  related  simply  to  my  brethren  and 
fellow-servants,  who  trusted  me  [the  reason],  why  I  have 
preached  and  do  preach  for  the  building  up  and  confirma- 
tion of  your  faith.  AVould  that  you  might  follow  greater 
and  perform  mightier  things ;  this  will  be  my  glory,  for  a 
wise  son  is  the  glory  of  the  father.  You  knoiv,  and  God 
also,  how  I  have  coiiducted  myself  among  you  from  my  youth, 
both  in  the  faith  of  the  truth  and  in  sincerity  of  heart ; 
142 


ST.  Patrick's  confession.  143 

also  in  reference  to  the  nations  among  whom  I  dwell. 
I  have  kept  faith  with  them  and  I  shall  keep  it.  God 
knows  that  I  have  defrauded  none  of  them.  Neither  do  I 
think  [of  this]  on  account  of  God  and  his  church  lest  I 
might  excite  persecution  against  them  and  us  all,  and  lest 
through  me  the  name  of  the  Lord  should  be  blasphemed  ; 
because  it  is  written  :  "  Woe  to  the  man  by  whom  the  name 
of  the  Lord  is  blasphemed." 

For  though  I  am  unskillful  in  all  things,  yet  I  have  tried 
in  some  measure  to  protect  even  my  Christian  brethren,  and 
the  virgins  of  Christ,  and  religious  women  who  have  pre- 
sented to  me  small  voluntary  gifts,  and  their  ornaments, 
which  they  placed  upon  the  altar,  and  I  returned  these  to 
them  again ;  and  they  were  provoked  against  me  because 
I  did  this.  But  I  [acted  in  this  way]  on  account  of  the  hope 
of  eternal  life,  that  I  might,  therefore,  in  all  things  cautiously 
guard  myself,  so  that  unbelievers  may  not  catch  me  on  any 
pretext,  or  the  ministry  of  my  service ;  and  that,  even  in  the 
smallest  matter,  I  might  not  give  them  occasion  to  defame,  or 
depreciate  me.  But  perhaps  since  I  have  baptized  so  many 
thousand  men,  I  might  have  expected  half  a  screpall  ^  from 
some  of  them.  Tell  it  to  me,  and  I  will  restore  it  to  you. 
Or  when  the  Lord  ordained  clergymen  everywhere  through 
my  humble  instrumentality,  I  conferred  the  rite  gratuitously. 
If  I  asked  from  any  of  them  even  the  price  of  my  shoe,  tell 
it  against  me  and  I  will  restore  you  more. 

I  spent  for  you  that  they  might  receive  me ;  and  among 
you  and  everywhere  I  traveled  on  your  account  through 
many  dangers,  even  to  remote  places  where  there  was  no 
one  beyond,  and  where  no  one  had  ever  come  to  baptize, 
ordain  clergymen,  or  edify  the  people.  The  Lord  giving  it, 
I  diligently  and  most  willingly^  for  your  salvation,  furnished 
all  things.  In  the  meantime,  I  made  presents  to  the  kings, 
besides  which  I  gave  hire  to  their  sons  who  escorted  me ; 
nevertheless,  they  seized  me  with  my  companions.  And  on 
that  day  they  were  very  eager  to  kill  me ;  but  the  time  had 
not  yet  come.  And  they  took  everything  which  they  found 
in  our  possession,  and  they  bound  me  with  iron.  And  on  the 
fourteenth  day  the  Lord  freed  me  from  their  power,  and 
whatever  belonged  to  us  was  restored  to  us,  through  God  and 
needful  friends  whom  we  had  provided  beforehand.  But  you 
know  how  much  I  paid  to  those  who  acted  as  judges  through 

1  An  ancient  Celtic  coin,  worth  six  cents. 


144         ANCIENT   BRITISH    AND   IRISH    CHURCHES. 

all  the  regions  which  I  more  frequently  visited  ;  for  I  think 
that  I  distributed  to  them  not  less  than  the  price  of  fifteen 
men  that  you  might  enjoy  me,  and  that  I  may  always  enjoy 
you  in  God  ;  nor  do  I  repent  of  it,  nor  is  it  enough  for  me — I 
still  spend  and  will  spend  for  your  souls.  The  Lord  is  mighty, 
and  may  he  grant  to  me  henceforth  that  I  may  spend  myself 
for  your  souls ! 

Behold  I  call  God  to  witness  upon  my  soul  that  I  lie  not ; 
neither  have  I  written  to  you  that  there  might  be  an  oppor- 
tunity for  flattery,  or  for  greed  [of  praise],  nor  do  I  hope  for 
honor  from  any  man.  For  sufficient  for  me  is  the  honor 
which  is  not  seen  but  is  believed  in  the  heart,  since  faithful 
is  he  that  promises ;  he  never  lies ;  but  I  see  now,  in  the 
present  age,  that  I  am  exalted  above  measure  by  the  Lord, 
and  I  was  not  worthy,  nor  deserving  that  he  should  do  this 
for  me;  since  I  know  that  poverty  and  calamity  are  more 
convenient  for  me  than  riches  and  pleasures.  But  Christ  the 
Lord  was  poor  for  us. 

But  I,  poor  and  miserable,  if  I  washed  for  riches,  have 
them  not ;  neither  do  I  judge  myself  worthy,  because  I  daily 
expect  either  murder,  or  to  be  circumvented,  or  to  be  restored 
to  slavery,  or  misfortune  of  some  kind.  But  I  fear  none  of 
these  things  because  of  the  promises  of  the  heavens,  for  I 
have  placed  myself  in  the  hands  of  the  omnipotent  God, 
who  reigns  everywhere  ;  as  the  prophet  says :  "  Cast  thy  care 
upon  God  and  he  will  maintain  thee."  Behold,  now,  I  com- 
mend my  soul  to  my  most  faithful  God,  for  whom  I  act  as  an 
ambassador  in  my  unworthiness,  because,  indeed,  he  does  not 
accept  the  person,  and  he  chose  me  to  this  ofiBce  that  I  might 
be  one  of  the  least  of  his  ministers.  But  what  shall  I  repay 
to  him  for  all  the  things  w^hich  he  has  given  me?  What 
shall  I  say,  or  what  shall  I  promise  to  my  Lord?  Because  I 
have  no  power  unless  he  had  given  it  to  me,  but  he  searches 
the  heart  and  reins  ;  because  I  desire  enough  and  too  much, 
and  am  prepared  that  he  should  give  me  his  cup  to  drink  as 
he  has  granted  to  others  that  love  him. 

Wherefore,  may  it  never  happen  to  me  from  my  Lord  that 
I  should  lose  his  people  w^hom  he  has  gained  in  the  utmost 
parts  of  the  earth.  I  pray  God  to  give  me  perseverance,  and 
judge  me  worthy  to  render  myself  a  faithful  witness  to  him, 
even  until  mv  departure  on  account  of  my  God.  And  if  I 
have  ever  imitated  anything  good  on  account  of  ray  God 
whom  I  love,  I  ask  him  to  grant  me,  tliat  with  these  prose- 


ST.    PATRICK'S    CO.VFESSIOX.  I45 

lytes  and  captives  I  may  pour  out  my  blood  for  his 
name  s  sake,  though  I  myself  should  lack  burial,  and  my 
dead  body  be  most  shockingly  torn  limb  from  limb  by  do^s 
or  by  wild  beasts,  or  that  birds  of  the  air  should  devour  it' 
I  believe  most  certainly  that  if  this  should  happen  to  me  I 
shall  have  gamed  both  soul  and  body.  Because  without  any 
doubt,  on  that  day  we  shall  arise  in  the  bricrhtness  of  the  sun 
that  IS  in  the  glory  of  Christ  Jesus,  our  Redeemer,  as  sons 
of  the  living  God,  and  joint  heirs  with  Christ,  and  conformed 
to  his  future  likeness,  and  through  him  and  in  him  we  shall 
reign. 

For  that  sun  which  we  see,  by  command  of  God,  arises 
daily  on  our  account ;  but  he  shall  never  reign,  nor  shall  his 
splendor  continue  ;  but  all  even  that  worship  him  [the  sun] 
wretched  persons,  shall  come  unhappily  into  punishment 
But  we,  who  trust  and  adore  the  true  Sun,  Jesus  Christ,  who 
will  never  perish  ;  neither  shall  he  who  does  his  will,  but'shall 
remain  forever,  as  Christ  shall  continue  forever  who  reio-ns 
with  God  the  Father  Almightv,  and  with  the  Holy  Spfrit 
before  the  ages,  and  now,  and  through  all  the  ao-es  of  ao-es 
["  forever  and  ever "].     Amen.  °  °    ' 

Behold^  I  will  again  and  again  briefly  set  forth  the  words 
of  my  "Confession."  I  testify  in  truth  and  in  joy  of  heart 
before  God  and  his  holy  angels,  that  I  never  had  any  reason 
except  the  gospel  and  its  promises,  to  return  to  that  nation 
[the  Irish  nation  m  which  he  was  a  slave  for  six  years]  from 
which  I  had  formerly  escaped  with  difficulty. 

But  I  beseech  those  who  believe  and  fear  God,  and  whoso- 
ever shall  see  fit  to  examine  or  receive  this  writino-,  which 
Patrick,  the  sinner,  unlearned  indeed,  has  written  in  Ireland 
that  no  one  may  ever  say,  if  I  had  done,  or  proved,  even 
some  little  things,  according  to  the  will  of  God,  that  it  was 
my  Ignorance  [which  did  it],  but  rather  conclude  and  believe 
most  assuredly,  that  it  was  the  gift  of  God.  And  this  is  my 
confession  before  I  shall  die. 

I.  "  J^"?^  ^^^  *^^  volume  which  Patrick  wrote  with  his  own 
hand.  On  the  seventeenth  of  March,  Patrick  was  translated 
to  heaven."— iVo^e  of  the  copyist  in  the  "  Book  of  Armagh;'  at 
the  end  of  the  "Confession^ 


N 


CHAPTER  XVII. 
Patrick's  epistle  to  coroticus. 

Patrick's  authority  from  Grod— Wickedness  of  the  soldiers  of  Corot- 
icus—Some  of  their  victims  murdered  and  others  enslaved— 
Patrick  excommunicates  the  pirates— He  admonishes  Christians  to 
shun  them,  and  to  refuse  their  alms— The  Eoman  and  Gallic  Chris 
tians  redeem  their  captive  brethren  from  the  Franks  and  other 
pagans— Patrick's  lament  for  his  slain  and  enslaved  converts— Their 
glory  in  eternity  and  the  doom  of  their  enemies. 

I,  Patrick,  a  sinner,  indeed  unlearned,  acknowledge  that 
I  have  been  appointed  a  bishop  in  Ireland.  I  most  assuredly 
think  that  I  have  received  what  I  am  from  God.  I  live, 
therefore,  among  barbarians,  a  proselyte  and  an  exile,  on 
account  of  the  love  of  God.  He  is  witness  that  it  is  so.  Not 
that  I  desired  to  pour  out  anything  from  my  mouth  so  harsli 
and  severe,  but  I  am  compelled,  animated  by  zeal  for  God, 
and  for  the  truth  of  Christ,  through  my  love  for  my  neigh- 
bors and  sons,  for  whom  I  have  given  up  country  and  parents, 
and  even  my  life  unto  death  if  I  am  worthy  [of  martyrdom]. 
I  have  vowed  to  my  God  to  teach  the  nations,  although  I  am 
despised  by  certain  persons. 

I  have  prepared  this  letter  and  written  it  with  my  own 
hand  to  be  given  and  handed  to  the  soldiers,  to  be  sent  to 
Coroticus  ;  I  do  not  sav  to  my  fellow-citizens  and  to  the  citi- 
zens of  the  Roman  saints,  but  to  the  citizens  of  demons  on 
account  of  their  own  evil  works,  who,  by  the  hostile  custom 
of  [barbarians]  live  in  death :  companions  of  the  Scots  and 
apostate  Picts,  who  make  themselves  bloody  with  the  blood 
of  innocent  Christians,  whom  I  have  begotten  to  God  without 
number,  and  confirmed  in  Christ. 

On  the  day  after  that  on  which  they  were  anointed,  neophytes 
[recent  converts]  in  white  robes,  while  [the  oil]  of  the  anoint- 
ing was  glistening  on  their  foreheads,  they  were  cruelly  mur- 
dered and  slain  with  the  sword  by  the  above-mentioned  persons. 
And  I  sent  a  letter  by  a  holy  presbyter,  whom  I  taught  from 

1  According  to  Dr.  Whitley  Stokes,  Coroticus  was  king  of  Dumbarton.  See 
"  QoTernment  Tripartite  Life,"  Introduction,  p.  C.    London,  1887. 

146 


Patrick's  epistle  to  coroticus.  147 

his  infancy,  with  [other]  clergymen  [asking  them]  to  restore 
to  us  some  of  the  pillage,  or  of  the  baptized  captives  whom 
they  seized,  but  they  laughed  at  them.  Therefore,  I  know  not 
whom  to  lament  most,  those  who  were  slain  or  those  whom 
they  captured,  or  those  whom  Satan  grievously  ensnared  into 
the  everlasting  pains  of  hell,  where  they  shall  be  in  bondage 
together  with  him ;  for  he,  indeed,  is  a  servant  of  sin  who 
commits  it,  and  he  is  called  a  son  of  the  devil.  Wherefore, 
let  every  man  who  fears  God  know  that  they  are  alienated 
from  me,  and  from  Christ,  my  God,  for  whom  I  am  an  ambas- 
sador, parricides,  fratricides,  ravening  wolves,  devouring  the 
Lord's  people  as  the  food  of  bread,  as  he  says  :  "  The  ungodly 
have  made  void  thy  law.  Lord." 

Since  in  these  last  times  Ireland,  by  the  favor  of  God,  has 
been  most  excellently  and  graciously  planted  and  instructed, 
I  do  not  usurp  [the  labors  of  others  but]  I  have  a  share  with 
those  whom  he  has  called  and  predestinated  to  preach  the 
gospel  in  no  small  persecutions  even  to  the  extremity  of  the 
earth.  Although  the  enemy  envies  us  through  the  tyranny 
of  Coroticus,  who  does  not  fear  God  ;  or  his  priests,  whom  he 
has  elected,  and  has  granted  to  them  that  highest,  divine, 
sublime  power,  that  those  whom  they  should  bind  on  earth, 
should  be  bound  in  the  heavens.  Whence,  therefore,  I  earn- 
estly beseech  the  holy  and  humble  in  heart  not  to  deem  it 
right  to  flatter  such  persons,  or  to  take  food  or  drink  with 
them  ;  nor  ought  you  to  take  their  alms,  until  they  make 
satisfaction  for  the  tears  cruelly  shed  [by  us],  and  set  at 
liberty  the  servants  of  God  and  the  baptized  handmaidens 
of  Christ  for  whom  he  was  put  to  death  and  crucified.  The 
Most  High  rejects  the  gifts  of  the  wicked ;  and  he  who  offers 
a  sacrifice  from  the  goods  of  the  poor  is  as  a  man  that  sacri- 
fices the  son  in  the  presence  of  his  father. 

The  riches,  he  says,  which  he  will  collect  unjustly,  shall  be 
vomited  from  his  belly,  the  angel  of  death  shall  force  him 
away,  the  fury  of  dragons  shall  punish  him,  the  tongue  of 
the  adder  shall  kill  him,  unquenchable  fire  shall  devour  him. 
Therefore,  woe  to  those  who  fill  themselves  with  things  that  are 
not  theirs.  Or  what  does  it  profit  a  man,  if  he  gain  the  whole 
world,  and  suffer  the  loss  of  his  own  soul  ?  It  is  tedious  to 
discuss  [texts],  one  by  one,  or  to  pass  through  the  whole  law 
to  choose  testimonies  about  such  covetousness.  Avarice  is  a 
deadly  sin  :  "  Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbor's  property," 
"  Thou  shalt  not  kill."     A  murderer  cannot  be  with  Christ. 


148         ANCIENT   BRITISH    AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

"  Whosoever  hateth  his  brother  is  '  termed '  a  murderer."  Or, 
"he  who  loveth  not  his  brother  abideth  in  death."  How 
much  more  guilty  is  he  who  has  defiled  his  hands  with  the 
blood  of  the  sons  of  God  acquired  in  the  uttermost  parts  of 
the  earth  by  the  exhortation  of  our  littleness. 

Whether  did  I  come  to  Ireland  without  God,  or  according 
to  the  flesh,  who  constrained  me,  bound  by  the  Spirit  not  to 
see  any  of  my  kindred  ?  Do  I  not  love  godly  compassion 
because  I  act  [in  this  manner]  toward  that  nation  which  cap- 
tured me,  and  made  havoc  of  the  servants  and  handmaidens 
of  my  Father's  house.  I  was  a  freeman  according  to  the  flesh. 
I  was  born  of  a  father  who  was  a  Decurion.  For  I  sold  my 
nobility  for  the  good  of  others,  and  I  do  not  blush  or  grieve 
about  it.  Finally,  I  am  a  servant  in  Christ,  [delivered  to]  a 
foreign  nation  on  account  of  the  unspeakable  glory  of  an 
everlasting  life  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord.  And  if 
my  relatives  do  not  recognize  me  :  "A  prophet  hath  not  honor 
in  his  own  country."  Perhaps  [they  suppose]  that  we  are 
not  of  one  sheepfold,  nor  have  one  God  as  our  Father,  as  he 
says :  "  He  who  is  not  with  me,  is  against  me ;  and  he  that 
gathereth  not  with  me,  scattereth."  It  is  not  meet  that  one 
destroys,  another  builds. 

I  do  not  attend  to  my  own  interests ;  it  is  not  my  grace  but 
God,  indeed,  has  placed  this  deep  concern  in  my  heart,  that 
I  should  be  one  of  the  hunters  or  fishers  whom  formerly  God 
promised  for  the  last  days.  Am  I  envied?  What  shall  I 
do.  Lord?  I  am  greatly  despised.  Behold,  thy  sheep  are 
torn  around  me,  and  plundered  by  the  above-named  robbers, 
by  the  order  of  Coroticus,  with  hostile  purpose.  The  betrayer 
of  Christians  into  the  hands  of  the  Scots  and  Picts  is  far 
from  the  love  of  God.  Ravening  wolves  have  swallowed  up 
the  flock  of  the  Lord,  which,  therefore,  in  Ireland,  by  the 
greatest  diligence,  was  increasing  most  prosperously.  And 
the  sons  of  the  Scots  [Irish]  and  the  daughters  of  chiefs  are 
monks  and  virgins  of  Christ;  I  cannot  enumerate  them. 
Wherefore,  an  assault  upon  the  righteous  will  not  give  thee 
pleasure  [O  Lord],  nor  will  it  ever  confer  happiness  in  the 
regions  below.  Who,  of  the  saints,  would  not  shudder  to  l)e 
sportive,  or  to  enjoy  a  feast  with  such  persons?  From  the 
spoil  of  dead  Christians  they  have  filled  their  houses.  They 
live  by  rapine ;  they  do  not  know  how  to  pity  ;  they  hold  [out] 
poison,  a  deadly  food,  to  their  friends  and  sons.  As  Eve  did 
not  understand  that  she  offered  death  to  her  husband,  so  are  all 


149 

those  who  act  wickedly — they  make  death  everlasting  pun- 
ishment. 

It  is  the  custom  of  the  Roman  and  Gallic  Christians  to 
send  holy  and  fit  men  to  the  Franks  and  other  nations  with 
so  many  thousand  solidii  ^  to  redeem  baptized  captives.  You 
[Coroticus]  so  often  kill  them  and  sell  them  to  a  foreign  na- 
tion ignorant  of  God  ;  you  deliver  the  members  of  Christ, 
as  it  were,  into  a  den  of  wolves.  What  hope  have  you  in 
God?  or  he,  who  agrees  with  you?  or  he,  who  talks  with 
you  in  words  of  flattery?  God  will  judge,  for  it  is  written : 
"  Not  only  they  who  do  evil,  but  also  they  who  consent  to  itj 
are  to  be  condemned."  I  know  not  what  I  can  say  or  what 
I  can  speak  more  concerning  the  deceased  sons  of  God  whom 
the  sword  has  smitten  ferociously  beyond  measure.  For  it  is 
written  :  "  Weep  with  those  that  weep."  And  again :  "  If 
one  member  suffers,  all  the  members  suffer  with  it." 

Wherefore,  the  church  laments  and  bewails  her  sons  and 
daughters  whom  the  sword  has  not  yet  slain,  but  who  have 
been  carried  away  and  transported  into  a  distant  part  of  the 
earth,  where  sin  is  clearly  and  shamelessly  stronger  [there 
it  impudently  dwells  and]  abounds.  There,  freeborn  Chris- 
tian men,  having  been  sold,  are  reduced  to  slavery,  chiefly 
among  the  basest,  the  vilest,  and  the  apostate  Picts.  There- 
fore, with  sadness  and  grief,  I  will  cry  aloud,  O  my  most 
beautiful  and  most  beloved  brethren  and  sons,  whom  I  have 
begotten  in  Christ ;  I  cannot  number  you  ;  what  shall  I  do 
for  you  ?  I  am  not  regarded  as  worthy  by  God  or  men  to 
help  [you].  The  iniquity  of  the  wicked  has  prevailed  over 
us.  We  are  become  as  strangers.  Perhaps  they  do  not  be- 
lieve that  we  have  partaken  of  one  baptism,  or  that  we  have 
one  God  and  Father.  It  is  a  disgrace  to  them  that  we  have 
been  born  in  Ireland;  as  he  says,  Have  you  not  one  God? 
Why  have  you  forsaken  each  his  neighbor?  Therefore,  I 
grieve  for  you  ;  I  do  grieve  for  you  most  dear  to  me.  But 
again,  I  rejoice  within  myself  that  I  have  not  labored  for 
nothing,  and  that  my  pilgrimage  has  not  been  in  vain ;  even 
though  a  crime  so  shocking  and  unutterable  has  hippened. 
Thanks  be  to  God,  baptized  believers,  ye  have  withdrawn 
from  the  world  to  paradise !  I  perceive  that  you  have  com- 
menced to  journey  [to  the  world]  where  there  shall  be  no 
more  night,  nor  grief,  nor  death,  but  ye  shall  exult  as  calves 

1  The  solUIus  was  a  gold  coin ;  in  Patrick's  time,  it  was  probably  worth  81.75 
to  S2.00. 


150         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

loosed  from  their  chains,  and  you  shall  tread  down  the  wicked, 
they  shall  be  ashes  under  your  feet. 

Ye  shall  reign  therefore  with  the  apostles  and  prophets, 
and  shall,  with  the  martyrs,  obtain  the  everlasting  kingdom, 
as  he  himself  testifies,  saying:  "They  shall  come  from  the 
east  and  the  west,  and  shall  sit  down  with  Abraham,  and 
Isaac,  and  Jacob  in  the  kingdom  of  the  heavens."  With- 
out are  dogs,  and  sorcerers,  and  murderers,  and  perjurers; 
their  portion  is  in  the  lake  of  eternal  fire.  Not  without 
cause  does  the  apostle  say,  ''  Where  the  righteous  will  scarcely 
be  saved  where  shall  the  sinner  and  the  impious  and  the 
violator  of  the  law  find  himself  ?  "  Where  shall  Coroticus, 
with  his  most  iniquitous  rebels  against  Christ ;  where  shall 
they  behold  themselves  who  distribute  baptized  women  and 
the  spoils  of  orphans  as  rewards  among  their  most  filthy 
satellites  on  account  of  a  wretched  temporal  kingdom  which 
truly  in  a  moment  shall  pass  away  like  clouds  or  smoke 
which  are  surely  scattered  by  the  wind?  So  transgressors 
and  the  dishonest  shall  perish  from  the  face  of  the  Lord,  but 
the  riojhteous  shall  feast  in  unbroken  assurance  with  Christ, 
and  they  shall  judge  the  nations,  and  reign  over  unjust  kings 
for  ever  and  ever.    Amen. 

I  testify  before  God  and  his  angels  that  it  shall  be  so,  as 
he  has  intimated  to  my  ignorance.  These  are  not  my  words, 
but  [the  words]  of  God,  and  of  the  apostles  and  prophets, 
which  I  have  written  in  Latin,  who  have  never  lied.  "  He 
that  believeth  shall  be  saved  ;  but  he  that  believeth  not  shall 
be  condemned."  God  hath  said  it.  I  entreat  earnestly,  that 
whosoever  is  a  servant  of  God,  he  may  be  prompt  to  be  the 
bearer  of  this  letter ;  that  it  by  no  means  be  abstracted  by 
any  one,  but  much  rather  that  it  be  read  before  all  the  people 
and  before  Coroticus  himself;  to  the  end  that  if  God  would  in- 
spire them,  they  may  at  some  time  return  to  him,  and  may, 
though  late,  repent  of  what  they  have  so  wickedly  done ; 
these  murderers  of  brethren  in  the  Lord  may  set  free  the 
baptized  captives  whom  they  formerly  seized,  so  that  they 
may  deserve  to  live  for  God,  and  may  be  made  whole  here 
and  in  eternity.  Peace  to  the  Father,  and  the  Son,  and  the 
Holy  Spirit.     Amen. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

ST.   PATRICK   AND   BAPTISM. 

A  remarkable  ancient  Irish  description  of  believers'  baptism- 
Patrick's  own  account  of  believers'  baptism— Numerous  baptisms 
of  believers  recorded  in  his  "  Lives "  — Persons  immersed  by- 
thousands  in  some  places— Wells  dug  by  Patrick  at  new  churches 
for  immersion— An  American  baptismal  well  like  Patrick's— Im- 
mersion the  baptism  of  the  Christian  church  in  Patrick's  age. 

With  Patrick,  as  with  other  leaders  of  that  day, 
professed  believers  were  the  only  subjects  of  bap- 
TISM. In  the  "  Tripartite  Life,"  the  Great  Commission  is 
quoted :  "  Go  ye,  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing 
them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the 
Holy  Spirit ;  teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever 
I  have  commanded  you,"  etc.  Upon  these  words  this  cele- 
brated "  Life  "  makes  the  following,  among  other  comments : 
"  Go  ye,  teach.  Meet  is  the  order,  teaching  before  baptism. 
For  it  cannot  be  that  the  body  should  receive  the  sacrament  of 
baptism  before  the  soul  receives  the  verity  of  faith  .  .  He 
directed  the  apostles,  first  to  teach  all  nations,  and  then  to 
baptize  them  with  the  sacrament  of  faith,  and  in  favor  of  faith 
and  baptism,  to  enjoin  all  things  that  were  to  be  heeded"  ^ 

This  is,  perhaps,  the  most  scriptural,  and,  at  the  same  time, 
the  most  thoroughly  Baptistic  description  of  the  subjects  of 
Christian  baptism  ever  penned.  And  it  is  in  such  complete 
harmony  with  St.  Patrick's  practice,  that  it  is  reasonable  to 
suppose  that  the  "  Tripartite  Life  "  gives  the  Saint's  own  expo- 
sition of  the  Commission.  Patrick's  account  of  the  persons  he 
baptized  shows  that  they  were  believers.  In  the  third  chapter 
of  the  "  Confession,"  he  writes  : 

"  So  that  even  after  my  death  I  may  leave  as  legacies  to 

'  "Government  Tripartite  Life,"  Introduction,  Vol.  I.,  p,  65. 

151 


152         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND    IRISH   CHURCHES. 

my  brethren,  and  to  my  sons  whom  I  have  baptized  in  the 
Lord,  so  many  thousand  men.''  Here  there  is  no  place  for 
unconscious  infants.  In  the  sixth  chapter  of  the  "Confes- 
sion" he  states:  "Perhaps,  since  I  have  baptized  so  many 
thousand  me/i  I  might  have  expected  half  a  screpall  [a  coin 
worth  six  cents],  from  some  of  them ;  tell  it  to  me  and  I  will 
restore  it  to  you."  There  is  no  room  here  for  irresponsible 
children. 

In  Patrick's  "  Letter  to  Coroticus,"  he  describes  some  of 
the  persons  whom  he  immersed  as  "  baptized  captives,"  "  bap- 
tized handmaidens  of  Christ  for  whom  he  was  put  to  death 
and  crucified,"  as  "  baptized  women  distributed  as  rewards," 
and  then,  as  "  baptized  believers."  Those  whom  Patrick 
baptized  were  men,  women,  handmaidens,  and  believers,  a 
term  that  includes  both  sexes  and  the  young  and  the  old,  who 
had  put  their  trust  in  Christ.  These  are  Patrick's  unques- 
tioned accounts  of  his  baptisms,  and  from  them  it  is  clear  as 
a  bright,  summer  day,  that  Patrick  immersed  believers  only. 
It  would  have  been  easy  for  him  to  add  to  the  "  baptized  " 
men,  women,  and  handmaidens,  and  believers,  infmits,  but 
evidently  he  did  not  baptize  them. 

Hincmar,  archbishop  of  Rheims,  in  giving  a  statement  of 
the  baptism  of  Clovis  and  a  multitude  of  others,  adminis- 
tered by  his  predecessor,  St.  Remigius,  in  a.  d.  496,  says : 
"  Moreover,^  from  his  army  three  thousand  men  were  bap- 
tized, without  counting  women  and  children."  If  this  state- 
ment about  the  baptisms  of  the  children  was  true,  how  natural 
and  proper  in  Hincmar  to  record  it  ?  St.  Patrick's  account 
of  his  baptisms  does  not  mention  baptized  children.  In  the 
immersion  of  professed  believers  only,  Patrick  was  on  firm 
scriptural  and  Baptist  ground.  In  Patrick's  day,  infant 
baptism  was  little  known  in  the  practice  of  the  Eastern 
churches,  and  we  have  no  evidence  that  it  had  any  existence 
whatever  in  Great  Britain  and  Ireland. 

1  Vit.  St.  liemig,  Patr.  Lat.,  Tom.  125,  pp.  1160, 1161.    Migne. 


ST.    PATEICK   AND   BAPTISM.  153 

The  subject  of  Patrick's  baptism,  according  to  the  writers 
of  his  "Lives,"  were  believers.  Of  Dichu,  supposed  to  be 
Patrick's  first  convert,  the  "  Lebar  Brecc  Homily,"  says: 
"  Dichu  repented  and  believed  in  one  God,  and  Patrick 
baptized  him,  and  a  great  host  along  with  him."  ^  The  bap- 
tized persons  on  this  occasion  were  penitent  believers. 

"  Ere,  the  son  of  Deg,  believed  in  God,  and  confessed  the 
catholic  faith  [that  is,  the  universal,  not  the  Komish  faith], 
and  was  baptized  by  Patrick."  ^  Once  in  journeying,  "  Patrick 
saw  a  tender  youth  herding  swine.  Mochae  was  his  name. 
Patrick  preached  to  him,  and  baptized  him."  *  He  was  old 
enough  to  take  care  of  swine,  and  to  listen  to  such  a  gospel 
address  as  Patrick  would  give  to  a  youth,  and  he  was  con- 
verted. "Patrick  baptized  Enda,^  and  he  offered  his  son. 
Cor  mac  [to  Patrick],  who  was  born  the  night  before,  together 
with  every  ninth  ridge  of  his  land  throughout  Ireland." 
Cormac  was  not  presented  to  Patrick  for  baptism  any  more 
than  the  land,  and  while  Enda  was  baptized,  Cormac  was 
simply  handed  by  Patrick  "  to  four  of  his  household  to  be 
reared."  The  child  was  probably  motherless.  If  Patrick 
had  practised  infant  baptism,  surely  this  little  one  would 
have  received  it.  And  if  he  had  received  it,  the  fact  would 
have  been  recorded. 

"The  men  of  North  Munster  to  the  North  of  Limerick 
went  in  sea-fleets  to  meet  Patrick.  ^  .  and  he  baptized 
them  in  Tirglass."  ^  There  must  have  been  a  great  outpour- 
ing of  the  Holy  Spirit  upon  these  throngs  who  came  by  water 
to  the  missionary  for  baptism  ;  but  no  intimation  is  given  that 
their  little  children  received  the  rite  with  their  parents. 

It  is  said,  "  Patrick  went  into  the  province  of  Mugdoirn  to 
Domnach  Maigen,  and  he  baptized  the  men  of  Mugdoirn."  ^ 
"  At  Temair  Singite,  Patrick  baptized  the  men  of  Assail."  ** 


2  In  "  Government  Tripartite  Life,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  451. 

3  Ibid.,  Vol,  I.,  p.  45.     London,  1887.  *  Ibid.,  p.  41. 
5 Ibid.,  p.  81.                                                                     6  Ibid.,  p.  207, 
?  Ibid.,  p.  183.                                                               8  Ibid,  p.  79. 


154         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH    CHURCHES. 

In  these  records  of  Patrick's  baptisms,  there  is  absolutely  no 
evidence  that  unconscious  little  ones  received  the  sacred  rite 
from  him.  The  men,  that  is,  the  people,  baptized  were  of 
both  sexes  and  of  all  ages,  and  they  all  professed  to  be 
such  believers  as  Patrick  claims  in  his  two  celebrated  works 
that  he  baptized ;  without  their  profession  of  faith  before 
baptism  in  each  case  Patrick's  description  is  sadly  lacking  in 
veracity. 

The  "  Wiirtzburg  Glosses,"  a  brief  commentary  in  Irish  on 
Paul's  Epistles,  in  Latin,  written  about"  a.  d.  815,  a  work  of 
Calvinistic  orthodoxy,  expounding  1  Cor.  14:6:  "  What 
shall  I  profit  you,  except  I  shall  speak  to  you  either  by  revela- 
tion, or  by  knowledge,  or  by  prophesying,  or  by  doctrine," 
says,  "  Prophesying ;  that  is,  preaching,  the  stirring  up  of 
every  one  to  belief  that  he  may  he  ready  for  baptism.''  ^  This 
is  the  doctrine  of  all  Baptists,  and  of  St.  Patrick,  and  his  fol- 
lowers for  some  time  after  his  death. 

St.  Patrick's  baptism  was  immersion.  The  "Tri- 
partite Life  of  Patrick,"  written  in  the  eleventh  century, 
the  best  known  of  his  biographies,  represents  Patrick  him- 
self as  being  baptized  in  a  fountain;  it  says:  "A  church, 
moreover,  was  founded  over  that  well  in  which  Patrick  was 
baptized,  and  there  stands  the  well  [fountain]  by  the  altar."  ^ 

From  the  same  work  we  make  the  following  quotations  : 
"  Patrick  founded  a  church  at  Domnach  Maige  Slecht — and 
there  is  Patrick's  well  wherein  he  baptized  many."  ^  These 
persons,  like  Patrick  himself,  were  baptized  in  the  spring  or 
well.  The  well  was  dug  at  this  church,  which  was  founded 
by  him,  as  a  baptistery,  just  as  he  opened  many  other  baptis- 
mal fountains.  And  it  was  called  by  his  name  because  he 
had  its  water  tapped  and  brought  to  the  surface ;  or  if  run- 
ning along  the  ground  he  had  a  basin  made  for  its  reception 
suitable  for  the  immersion  of  an  adult.     Wells,  except  by 

1  "  The  Holy  Scriptures  in  Ireland  One  Thousand  Years  Ago,"  p.  64.   Dublin,  1888. 

2  "  Government  Tripartite  Life,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  9. 
8  Ibid.,  p.  93. 


STo    PATRICK   AND   BAPTISM.  155 

accident,  are  seldom  found  in  Ireland  in  connection  with 
churches.  Neither  the  heat  of  the  climate,  nor  the  conve- 
nience of  the  people  requires  them.  In  Patrick's  time  the 
church  was  built  near  a  spring,  or  a  well  was  sunk  close  to 
the  church  for  a  baptistery.  If  baptism  had  been  by  sprink- 
ling or  pouring,  Patrick  would  never  have  had  a  well  in 
Ireland ;  in  no  country  on  earth  are  springs  more  abundant 
or  more  accessible ; ,  and  for  sprinkling  purposes  they  are 
more  than  ample.  A  great  missionary  well-sinker  roaming 
over  Ireland  partly  to  bore  for  water  for  the  common  uses  of 
life,  is  a  senseless  office  to  assign  to  St.  Patrick ;  to  build 
churches  and  prepare  baptismal  fountains,  are  righteous  du- 
ties even  for  him. 

"  The  Tripartite  Life  "  says :  "  Patrick  went  to  Naas  ;  .  . 
to  the  north  of  the  road  is  his  well  [his  baptistery]  wherein 
he  baptized  Dunling's  two  sons — Ailill  and  lUaun."  ^  Tire- 
chan  relates  that  Patrick  came  into  the  regions  of  Corcutemne 
to  the  fountain  Siui,  in  which '  he  baptized  many  thousand 
men,  and  he  founded  three  churches. 

Patrick's  well  at  Naas  was  one  which  he  sank  and  pre- 
pared for  immersion ;  the  fountain  at  Sini  was  evidently  a 
considerable  spring,  with  a  large  natural  cavity,  like  others 
spoken  of,  or  yet  to  be  mentioned,  which,  without  labor,  were 
used  to  "  bury  believers  in  baptism."  Of  the  province  of  the 
Deisi,  it  is  said :  "  Patrick's  well  is  in  that  place,  and  there  is 
the  church  of  Mace  Clarid."  ^  Patrick's  well  and  the  church 
are  linked*  together,  showing  that  immersion  in  the  name  of 
the  Trinity  was  the  purpose  for  which  the  well  was  intended. 
Again  :  "  Patrick  baptized  the  men  of  the  east  of  Meath  ;  his 
well  is  m  front  of  the  church."*  This  baptismal  fountain, 
called  Patrick's  well,  was  located  by  him  where  it  would  be 
needed  for  the  immersion  of  believers.     This  quotation  re- 


1  "  Government  Tripartite  Life,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  185. 

-  Tirechan's  collections  in  "Government  Tripartite  Life,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  323. 

3  "  Government  Tripartite  Life,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  209. 

*  Ibid.,  p.  77. 


156         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

minds  us  of  a  well  in  front  of  the  New  Britain  Baptit^t 
Church,  Bucks  Co.,  Penna. ;  it  is  a  baptistery  dug  in  the 
ground,  suitably  finished  and  covered ;  a  spring  supplies  it 
with  water ;  and  in  it  many  have  been  baptized.  Any  one, 
perhaps  of  hundreds  of  well-baptisteries  prepared  by  the 
Baptist  apostle  of  Ireland,  could  have  furnished  a  model  for 
the  one  at  New  Britain.  "  Patrick,"  it  is  further  said,  "  founded 
a  church  at  Drumne,  and  by  it  he  dug  a  well."  ^  These  ac- 
counts of  Patrick's  wells  are  frequent  in  his  biographies. 
They  were  close  to  churches ;  he  is  sometimes  said  to  have 
dug  them,  and  many  of  them  are  called  Patrick's  wells,  be- 
cause he  had  them  sunk;  in  Patrick's,  and  other  wells,  or  in 
lakes  and  streams,  all  his  converts  were  baptized. 

When  it  is  said  of  the  most  famous  of  all  St.  Patrick's 
baptisms,  in  which  the  seven  Amalgaid  princes  received  the 
ordinance :  ''  In  that  day  twelve  thousand  were  baptized  in 
the  ivelL  of  Oen-adarc,"  "^  a  grand  immersion  took  place,  just  as 
all  the  well  baptisms  of  Patrick  were  immersions.  Rev.  Dr. 
Blackburn,  a  Presbyterian,  states  that  St.  Patrick  "  it  may  be, 
showed  tolerance  of  the  old  superstitions  .  .  .  also  the 
wells  that  had  long  been  used  for  heathen  purposes  he  allowed 
to  be  used  for  baptism."  ^  Passing  over  two  assertions  in  this 
quotation  which  are  chiefly  baseless,  it  is  clearly  admitted 
that  St.  Patrick  employed  wells  and  not  the  sprinkling  font 
for  baptism.  Baptism  in  springs  or  wells  in  Ireland  meant 
dipping,  as  it  meant  everywhere  in  Christendom  at  that  time, 
and  could  mean  nothing  else. 

The  Wiirtzburg  Glosses,  explaining  Ephesians  4  :  5,  "One 
Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism,"  says :  "  One  baptism,  though 
the  dipping  is  three-fold."  *  Jerome,  the  great  biblical  scholar, 
a  contemporary  of  St.  Patrick,  expounding  the  same  Scripture, 
writes :  "  We  are  immersed  three  times  that  the  unity  of  the 

1  "  Government  Tripartite  Life,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  109. 

2  Ibid.,  p.  135. 

3  "St.  Patrick  and  the  Early  Church  of  Ireland,"  p.  161.    Phiiada. 

*  '  The  Holy  Scriptures  in  Ireland  One  Thousand  Years  Ago,"  p.  90.  Dublin,  1P88 


ST.    PATHICK   AND   BAPTISM.  157 

Trinity  may  appear  in  the  sacrament."  ^  In  this  way  Patrick 
baptized  his  converts ;  this  was  the  form  of  baptism  of  the 
ancient  British  churches  and  of  the  whole  Christian  world 
in  the  days  of  Patrick  and  Jerome,  and  for  many  ages  later. 
St.  Patrick  baptized  believers,  and  he  immersed  them  in 
baptism.  He  maintained  views  as  to  the  form  and  the  sub- 
jects of  baptism  which  are  dear  to  our  whole  denomination. 


Hieronymi  Opera,"  Tom.  IX.,  p.  108.    Froben.  Basl,  1516. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

ST.     PATRICK     HELD     THE     LEADING     DOCTRINES     OF     THE 
BAPTIST   DENOMINATION. 

St.  Patrick  rejected  all  canons,  creeds,  and  councils— The  Nicene 
creed— Columbanus  and  a  remarkable  canon— Contempt  of  Irish 
missionaries  for  canons— The  Bible  is  Patrick's  code  of  laws— His 
love  for  it— Ancient  Irish  eulogy  of  it— Pteligious  liberty  for  pagans 
and  others— Patrick  as  a  foreign  missionary— His  teaching  ulti- 
mately sends  out  swarms  of  missionaries  to  heathen  lands. 

Baptists  have  ahvays  refused  to  surrender  the  independence 
of  their  churches,  even  to  their  owu  Associations.  They  reject 
all  ecclesiastical  authority,  with  its  canons,  creeds,  and  synods, 
except  the  Holy  Scriptures,  with  their  laws  for  the  govern- 
ment of  lives  and  churches. 

St  Patrick  stood  on  the  same  ground.  He  rejected  the  creed 
of  the  council  of  Nice,  a  celebrated  synod,  which  convened 
in  A.  D.  325.  He  made  a  creed  for  himself,  which  will  be 
found  in  the  second  chapter  of  his  "  Confession,"  in  this 
volume.  In  it  he  treats  chiefly  of  the  Godhead,  and  its 
Trinity  of  equal  persons.  The  Nicene  creed  is  devoted  to 
the  same  mysterious  and  exalted  subjects;  but  it  is  not 
Patrick's  creed.  We  have  before  us  the  Nicene  creed  pre- 
served by  Socrates,^  and  also  the  copy  of  Theodoret,^  the  one 
born  about  a.  d.  380,  and  the  other  about  387. 

We  have  also  the  creed  of  Constantinople,^  adopted  a.  d. 
381,  an  enlargement  of  the  Nicene,  and  passing  under  its 
name  in  the  Episcopal  church  and  elsewhere.  Patrick's 
creed  differs  widely  from  the  Nicene,  and  more  extensively 
from  the  creed  of  Constantinople.  Nor  can  the  supposition 
that  Patrick  intended  to  write  the  Nicene  creed,  but  quoted 

1 "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  I.,  cap.  8.     ^Eccles,  Hist.,"  Ibid  ,  cap.  12. 
3  "  Definitions  of  Faith  and  Canons  of  Discipline,"  p.  58.    New  York. 
158 


ST.    PATRICIAS    BAPTIST    DOCTRINES.  159 

from  memory  instead  of  a  written  text,  account  for  the 
serious  differences  between  the  two  creeds. 

Patrick  never  calls  his  the  Nicene  creed,  and  this  is  a 
remarkable  omission.  If  he  had  intended  it  for  the  vener- 
able document  of  Nice,  notwithstanding  its  variations,  he 
should  have  given  its  name  to  it.  His  "Confession,"  in 
which  he  placed  it,  was  intended  as  a  defense.  The  council 
of  Nice  was  the  most  honored  synod  that  ever  assembled, 
and  its  name  attached  to  his  creed  would  have  given  it  and 
him  a  valuable  orthodox  character.  But  Patrick  recognized 
no  authority  in  creeds  however  venerable,  nor  in  councils, 
though  composed  of  several  hundred  of  the  highest  eccle- 
siastics, and  many  of  the  most  saintly  men  alive.  He  never 
quotes  any  canons,  and  he  never  took  part  in  making  any, 
notwithstanding  the  pretended  canons  of  forgers.  So  abhor- 
rent to  the  apostle  of  Ireland  was  the  despotism  of  councils, 
canons,  and  creeds,  that  he  did  not  designate  as  a  creed  that 
portion  of  his  "  Confession,"  which,  by  its  terms  and  theme 
has  been  called  by  some  his  ''  creed."  Nor  does  he  invite  any 
special  attention  to  the  creed-like  section  of  his  "Confes- 
sion "  ;  it  stands  with  the  same  claims  to  respect  as  the  account 
of  his  conversion,  of  his  missionary  call  to  Ireland,  of  his 
strong  desire  to  save  men,  or  of  God's  frequent  answers  to  his 
prayers.  Patrick  wrote  his  "  Confession,"  as  he  states,  late  in 
life,  and  not  long  before  his  death ;  what  he  does  not  df^scribe 
as  a  creed,  because  it  was  not  intended  to  possess  either  the 
power  or  the  name  of  a  creed  in  his  day,  though  we  call  it 
Patrick's  creed,  is  in  his  "  Confession  "  ;  so  that,  during  his 
entire  ministry  of  fifty  or  sixty  years  prior  to  the  writing  of 
the  "  Confession,"  Patrick  had  no  creed  either  for  himself  or 
his  churches.  In  that  document  he  imposes  no  creed  upon 
his  followers ;  he  and  they  were  as  free  from  councils,  and 
their  canons  and  creeds,  as  the  aspostles  and  their  churches, 
or  as  modern  Baptists. 

Tirechan,  who  wrote  in  the  seventh  century,  and  from  whose 
documents  we  learn  so  much  of  interest,  declares  that  Patrick 


160         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

ordained  four  hundred  and  fifty  bishops  in  Hibernia.^  This 
was  a  violation  of  the  fourth  canon  of  the  council  of  Nice, 
which  required  at  least  three^  bishops  to  consecrate  a  new 
member  of  their  order.  This  canon  is  still  binding  in  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  church.^  And  in  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church,  its  spirit  still  survives ;  the  bishop-elect  is 
required  to  have  the  hands  of  three  bishops  laid  upon  him, 
or  "  at  least  of  one  bishop  and  two  elders,"  or,  in  extreme 
cases,  the  hands  of  three  elders.*  But  Patrick  ordained  his 
own  bishops  without  scruple.  He  paid  no  attention  to  canons. 
In  the  latter  half  of  the  sixth  century,  when  Kentigern  was 
to  be  ordained  bishop  of  the  Strathclyde  Britons,  whose 
country  was  formerly  Roman  territory,  in  which  the  canons 
of  Nice  were  binding,  according  to  Ussher,^  an  Irish  bishop, 
when  requested,  crossed  the  sea,  and  unaided,  consecrated 
Kentigern ;  he,  like  Patrick,  was  no  respecter  of  canons. 

In  the  end  of  the  sixth  century,  Columbanus,  a  Hibernian, 
went  to  the  continent  as  a  missionary,  prompted  by  the  great 
success  of  Columba  among  the  Picts.  Annoyed  in  his  mission 
on  account  of  his  observance  of  Easter  at  the  Irish  time,  he 
appealed  to  Boniface^  IV.  for  permission  to  keep  it  at  the  cus- 
tomary time  of  his  country  without  reproach,  and  he  urged  his 
application  because  the  second  canon  of  the  council  of  Con- 
stantinople, in  A.  D.  381,  decreed  that:  "The  churches  of 
God,  among  the  barbarians,  must  be  administered  according 
to  the  customs  of  the  fathers  which  have  prevailed."  ^  The 
word  "  barbarians,"  to  an  ancient  Roman,  meant  generally 
foreigners,  a  nation,  like  the  Irish,  never  subject  to  the 
Romans.  The  interpretation  of  this  canon  by  Columbanus,  if 
accepted,  would  have  largely  freed  the  Irish  Christians  from 

1  Tirechan's  Collections  in  "  Government  Tripartite  Life,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  304. 

2  "  Definitions  of  Faith  and  Canons  of  Discipline,"  p.  33.    New  York. 

3  Ibid.,  p.  291. 

*"Xhe  Doctrines  and  Discipline  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,"  p.  86. 
New  York. 
&  Ussher's  "  Works,"  Vol.  VI.,  p.  225. 
6  Da  Pin's  *'  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  5.    Dublin. 
t  "  Definitions  of  Faith  and  Canons  of  Discipline,"  p.  65.    New  York, 


ST.  Patrick's  baptist  doctrines.  161 

the  ever  threatening  tyranny  of  councils.  For  the  customs  of 
the  flithers,  which  prevailed  in  Hibernia,  and  still  bore  sway 
there,  Patrick  and  his  missionaries  were  to  set  aside  all  coun- 
cils with  their  canons  and  creeds.  Columbanus  himself  knew 
that  there  was  no  biblical  authority  for  councils,  canons,  and 
creeds,  and  his  appeal  to  the  canon  of  Constantinople  shows 
that  when  he  was  at  home  he  cast  aside  the  whole  system, 
as  this  canon  would  have  allowed,  if  the  Roman  empire  still 
existed. 

The  English  Boniface,  the  Romish  apostle  of  Germany 
writes  about  Clement,  an  Irish  missionary  in  his  field- 
"He  resisted  the  Catholic  church;  rejected  the  canons  of 
the  churches  of  Christ;  refuted  the  works  and  opinions 
ot  the  holy  fathers,  Jerome,  Augustine,  and  Gregory;  and 
he  regarded  with  contempt  the  laws  of  councils."  '  These 
Iri^h  ministers,  instructed  by  Patrick's  teaching,  and  many 
others  like  them,  held,  with  the  apostle  of  Ireland,  that 
no  councils,  canons,  or  creeds,  have  any  scriptural  dominion 
over  Christ  s  churches.  Modern  Baptists  unite  with  St. 
Patrick  in  cherishing  this  doctrine. 

His  sole  authority  to  rule  churches  or  Christians  is  the  Bible 
He  never  appeals  to  any  other.  In  his  "  Confession,"  and  "  Let- 
ter to  Coroticus,"  Dr.  Wright,  with  each  page,  has  printed 
the  Scriptures  quoted  or  alluded  to;  and  they  number  one 
hundred  and  thirteen.  He  has  done  the  same  thing  with  the 
hymn  called  ^^The  Deer's  Cry,"^  and  in  it  the  references  are 
thirty-two.  Considering  the  small  size  of  these  works,  the 
number  of  allusions  to  or  quotations  from  the  Divine  word 
are  very  remarkable.  Promises,  commands,  prohibitions, 
heart  exercises,  prayers,  the  condition  of  men  around,  these 
and  many  other  things  stir  up  Patrick  to  quote  Scripture. 

In  the  «  Leber  Brecc  Homily  on  St.  Patrick,"  written  in  the 
thirteenth  century,    we  have  either  an  ancient  sketch  from 

I  .?Th 't''r  "  ""'':' J^^'^^'-  "i''^^"-  ^^y"oge.  Works."  Vol.  IV..  p.  ^5. 
London.  ''''  ^^'^^'^  '^'  '^^"^"^•"    «^"^'«"«  ^ract  Socict  v  of 


162         ANCIENT  BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

Patrick's  own  pen  of  the  Bible,  or  else  the  exact  echoes  of 
his  teaching  about  the  Book  of  books.     It  says : 

One  of  the  noble  gifts  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  the  Divine  Scripture 
whereby  every  ignorance  is  enlightened,  every  earthly  distress  is 
comforted,  every  spiritual  light  is  kindled,  and  every  weakness  is 
strengthened.  Tor  it  is  through  the  Holy  Scripture  that  heresies  and 
schisms  are  cast  forth  from  the  church.  In  it  is  found  perfect  counsel 
and  fitting  instruction  by  each  and  every  grade  in  the  church.  For 
the  Divine  Scripture  is  a  mother  and  a  gentle  nurse  to  all  the  faith- 
ful ones  who  meditate  upon  it  and  consider  it,  and  who  are  nurtured 
until  they  are  chosen  sons  of  God  through  its  counsel.^ 

These  were  Patrick's  sentiments,  whether  or  not  he  penned 
the  words  originally.  In  the  Bible  he  saw^  everything  to 
bless  the  soul  and  rule  the  church,  and  outside  of  it  nothing 
ecclesiastical  or  secular  to  exercise  lordship  over  Christ's 
people.  He  could  apply  the  words  of  Chillingworth  to  him- 
self and  his  converts:  "The  Bible,  1  say  the  Bible  only,  is 
the  religion"  of  Patrick  and  his  Christian  Hibernians,  to 
guide  their  souls  and  rule  their  religious  communities.  In 
this,  Patrick  was  a  Baptist. 

There  is  reason  for  believing  that  Patrick  taught  that 
no  good  citizen  should  be  punished  for  his  irreligious  or  pagan 
opinions.  This  doctrine  is  in  harmony  with  his  whole  con- 
verted life.  St.  Patrick's  mother  is  said  to  have  been  a  sister 
of  St.  Martin,  the  celebrated  bishop  of  Tours.  Ninian,  a 
countryman  of  St.  Patrick,  built  a  church  for  the  southern 
Picts  bearing  his  name.  Dr.  M'Lauchlan  says,  "  he  became 
famous  in  the  Celtic  churches."^  No  man  in  his  day  was 
better  known  or  more  highly  esteemed  all  over  western  Eu- 
rope. When  Priscillian  and  his  friends  were  condemned  to 
death  for  heresy,  Martin  declared  it  to  be  an  unheard-of 
thing  that  an  ecclesiastical  matter  should  be  judged  by  a 
secular  court  on  principles  of  the  civil  law  ;  and  he  entreated 
Maximus  to  spare  the  lives  of  the  unfortunate  men,'  but  they 

1  In  "  The  Tripartite  Life,"  Introduction,  p.  CLXII. 

2  "  Early  Scottish  Church,"  p.  63. 

»  Neander'8  "  History  of  the  Christian  Church,"  Vol.  II.,  p,  712.     Boston. 


ST.  Patrick's  baptist  docteines.  163 

were  beheaded.  This  event  created  a  great  sensation,  speedily- 
known  for  that  age,  even  in  Britain  and  Ireland  The  course 
of  Martin  was  applauded.  St.  Patrick,  through  Gallic 
friends,  and  probably  relatives,  who  sent  money  and  helpers 
for  his  mission,  heard  of  it,  and  in  his  warm-hearted  way  de- 
nounced secular  penalties  for  erroneous  religious  opinions ; 
and  that  for  ages  made  the  Hibernian  churches  the  freest  in 
the  world ;  religious  opinions,  except  in  times  of  ungoverna- 
ble excitement,  could  not  be  punished  by  secular  penalties. 

Columba  and  Columbanus  followed  Patrick's  example  in 
becomins:  foreiorn  missionaries,  the  first  to  leave  Ireland  to 
preach  abroad,  and  they  followed  his  doctrine  of  liberty  of 
conscience.  In  a.  d.  575,  there  was  held  at  Drumceatt,  about 
twenty  miles  from  Londonderry,  Ireland,  a  great  national 
convention.  It  was  composed  of  the  chief  men  of  Ireland 
in  civil  and  in  ecclesiastical  life,  with  immense  numbers  of 
retainers.  The  convention  continued  fourteen  months,  and 
was  under  arms  during  its  whole  existence.  It  granted  in- 
dependence to  the  Irish  Dalriada  kingdom  of  Scotland,  the 
great  object  for  which  it  met.  When  it  was  unanimously- 
agreed  at  the  convention  to  put  the  bards  to  death  as  adverse 
to  the  Christian  religion,  Columba  alone  plead  for  them. 
They  opposed  his  mission  in  Caledonia  at  every  step,  yet  he 
could  not  slay  or  hurt  them  for  paganism.  And  such  was 
the  eloquence  and  power  of  the  appeal  and  the  influence  of 
the  advocate,  that  the  bards  were  saved.^  Full  of  gratitude 
for  their  deliverance,  the  bards  issued  a  poem,  composed  by- 
Dalian  Forgaill,  poet  laureate  of  Ireland  at  that  time,  in 
honor  of  Columba,  which  is  still  in  existence.^ 

Columba's  treatment  of  the  bards  showed  Christian  gener- 
osity, conformity  to  the  Saviour's  will,  and  attachment  to 
the  famous  doctrine  of  Roger  Williams. 

When  Columbanus,  who  was  born  in  Ireland  in  a.  d.  543, 
was  prosecuting  a  successful  mission  in  France,  the  envy  of 

1  Smith's  "  Life  of  St.  Columba,"  p.  12').     Glasgow,  1824. 

2  "  Ireland  and  the  Celtic  Church,"  p.  127. 


164        ANCIENT   BRITISH    AND  IRISH   CHURCHES. 

neighboring  bishops  led  them  to  summon  him  before  their 
synod  to  punish  him,  ostensibly  for  keeping  Easter  at  the 
Irish  instead  of  the  Romish  time.  He  sent  a  letter  in  reply, 
declining  their  request,  and  telling  them  that  "  He  desired 
only  that  every  one  might  keep  his  own  custom,  and  follow 
his  own  tradition."^  According  to  Columbanus  these  bishops 
had  no  right  to  dictate  to  him  in  any  religious  act,  and 
punish  him  for  not  conforming  to  their  views  as  they  were 
planning  to  do ;  neither  had  he  or  any  one  else  authority  to 
inflict  civil  penalties  upon  the  religious  opinions  or  acts  of 
others  unless  they  were  criminal.  St.  Patrick,  Columba,  and 
Columbanus,  stood  upon  the  Baptist  platform  of  liberty  of 
conscience. 

Patrick  was  remarkable  as  a  missionary.  AVhen  he  sailed 
for  Ireland  to  preach  the  gospel,  that  country  had  many 
British  slaves  engaged  in  the  lowest  occupations  and  suffering 
the  greatest  hardships.  His  old  master  waited  to  seize  him 
and  enslave  him  again.  Petty  wars,  piracy,  tyranny,  and 
idolatry  were  rampant  all  over  the  island ;  but  the  intrepid 
Patrick,  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  fearlessly  entered  upon  his  work 
and  pursued  it  for  half  a  century  or  more,  until  all  Ireland 
was  nominally  Christian,  though  its  entire  people  were  not 
converted.  He  presents  his  missionary  plan  in  his  "  Confes- 
sion "  when  he  writes :  "  Therefore,  it  is  necessary  to  spread  our 
nets  so  that  a  large  multitude  and  throng  may  be  taken  for 
God."  There  never  was  a  foreign  missionary  whose  heart  em- 
braced a  wider  field,  and  whose  labors  among  pagan  barbari- 
ans were  more  successful  in  the  conversion  of  souls ;  among 
whom  he  planted  such  a  missionary  spirit  as  led  them  to  com- 
plete his  unfinished  work  in  Ireland,  and  to  send  missionaries 
to  Caledonia  to  the  pagan  Anglo-Saxons,  and  in  unparalleled 
numbers  to  many  other  European  nations.  The  denomina- 
tion of  Carey  and  Judson  may  justly  claim  Patrick,  the  illus- 
trious foreign  missionary,  as  holding  all  their  leading  doc- 
trines, and  as  being  substantially  a  Baptist. 

1  Du  Pin's  "  Eccles.  Hist,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  5.    Dublin. 


BOOK  III. 
SCOTLAND  AND  THE  CONVERSION  OF  THE  PICTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE   EVANGELIZATION   OF   THE   SOUTHERN   PICTS. 

Their  conversion  due  to  Britons — The  Strathclyde  Britons — The 
earliest  Scots  in  Caledonia — The  Irish  Scots  settled  there  in  the 
sixth  century — Pictish  raids — Roman  walls — Christian  captives 
among  the  Picts — A  Hibernian  slave — Coroticus  and  his  captives — 
Heathen  plunderers  bring  home  missionaries — The  Diocletian  per- 
secution sends  fugitives  among  the  Picts. 

The  conversion  of  the  southern  Picts  was  accomplished 
through  the  instrumentality  of  Britons,  private  persons  and 
prominent  missionaries. 

Anciently,  the  greater  part  of  Scotland  was  called  Albania 
or  Alba,  as  England  bore  the  name  of  Albion.  Caledonia 
was  also  an  early  name  of  the  same  region.  The  country  of 
the  ancient  Britons  included  England  and  the  southern  part 
of  Scotland.  From  the  county  of  Cumberland,  in  England, 
to  Dumbarton,  in  Scotland,  the  people  were  all  Britons. 

This  territory  and  its  people  formed  the  kingdom  of  Strath- 
clyde, governed  by  a  native  ruler  subject  to  the  Romans,  and 
surviving  for  centuries  after  they  abandoned  Britain.  To 
these  Britons  St.  Patrick  belonged,  a  people  as  thoroughly 
British  as  the  heroes  who  fought  under  King  Arthur  in  his 
celebrated  victory  over  the  Anglo-Saxons  at  Badon  Hill. 

The  Scots,  though  not  known  by  that  name  until  the  fourth 
century,  had  an  earlier  home  than  that  in  Caledonia.  In 
the  beginning  of  the  sixth  century,  the  Dalriadani  ^  Scots  of 
Antrim,  Ireland,  founded  a  kingdom  in  Argyleshire,  Albania, 

1  "  Ireland  and  the  Celtic  Church,"  p.  113. 

165 


166         ANCIENT    BRITISH    AND    IRISH    CHURCHES. 

which  afterward  became  the  dominant  power  in  Scotland,  and 
gave  its  present  name  to  that  part  of  Great  Britain.  Bede, 
writing  of  these  Irish  settlers  in  Pictland,  says :  "  Britain,  be- 
sides the  Britons  and  the  Picts,  received  a  third  nation,  the 
Scots,  who,  migrating  from  Ireland  under  their  leader,  Keuda, 
either  by  fair  means  or  by  force  of  arms,  secured  to  them- 
selves those  settlements  among  the  Picts  which  they  still  pos- 
sess." In  the  same  connection  he  adds :  "  Ireland  is  properly 
the  country  of  the  Scots."  ^ 

The  Strathclyde  Britons  were  evangelized  before  the  end 
of  the  fourth  century  ;  many  of  them,  perhaps,  long  before  it. 
They  were  the  neighbors  of  the  Picts,  and  separated  from 
them  by  barriers  which  in  peaceful  times  were  crossed  by 
numbers  every  day  from  both  sides.  The  Christianity  of  the 
Britons  undoubtedly  and  savingly  impressed  some  of  their 
Pictish  neighbors.  The  gospel,  in  its  early  converts,  was  a 
treasure  of  such  overwhelming  importance,  that  they  could 
not  hide  it  from  friends  or  enemies.  Pains,  terrors,  the  loss 
of  everything,  universal  scorn,  or  the  worst  form  of  slavery, 
could  not  restrain  their  boundless  enthusiasm.  The  converted 
ancestors  of  St.  Patrick  among  the  Strathclyde  Britons,  as 
they  thought  of  the  peri?hing  heathen  Picts  across  the  border, 
and  of  the  agonizing  death  of  the  cross,  must  have  felt  the 
enthusiasm  of  the  words : 

For  love  like  this,  let  rocks  and  hills 

Their  lasting  silence  break, 
And  all  harmonious  human  tongues 

The  Saviour's  praises  speak. 

And  undoubtedly  they  told  these  pagans,  in  words  of  touch- 
ing compassion,  the  Saviour's  unspeakable  forgiveness,  and 
the  power  of  his  blood  to  cleanse  from  all  sin  ;  and  the  elo- 
quence of  their  glowing  faces  would  constrain  the  Christless 
Picts  to  fly  to  the  wounds  of  the  crucified  Saviour.  In  this 
way  most  probably  many  of  them  were  brought  to  the  Ke- 
deemer  in  the  first  gospel  ages. 

1  "Eccles.  Hist.,"  T4b.  I.,  cap.  1. 


EVANGELIZATION    uF   THE   SOUTHERN   PICTS.       167 

Armed  excursions  across  the  Eomano-British  border  were 
frequent  during  the  entire  Koman  occupation  of  Britain,  and 
after  it  ended.  They  secured  immense  quantities  of  plunder, 
and  inflicted  death  upon  multitudes  without  mercy.  Dangers 
from  Picts  and  Scot3  were  so  great  that  in  the  reign  of  the 
Emperor  Domitian,  Agricola,  about  A.  d.  81,  fortified  the 
line  between  the  Forth  and  the  Clyde  to  secure  protection 
from  them.  About  a.  d.  126,  the  Emperor  Hadiian  con- 
tracted his  possessions  in  Britain  and  built  a  new  defensive 
wall  between  the  Tyne  and  the  Sol  way.  About  a.  d.  144,  the 
Emperor  Antoninus  Pius  drove  the  barbarians  of  Pictland 
beyond  the  wall  of  Agricola,  and  constructed,  between  the 
Forth  and  the  Clyde,  breastworks  of  turf,  a  deep  ditch,  a 
military  road,  and  a  number  of  forts  at  proper  distances  to 
repel  the  northern  enemy.  The  last  wall  to  protect  the 
Roman  provinces  of  Britain  was  constructed  by  the  inhabi- 
tants, and  by  a  legion  of  Roman  soldiers  sent  over  after  the 
emperor  had  abandoned  the  country,  in  response  to  an  almost 
despairing  appeal. 

By  these  endless  raids  the  Britons  were  robbed  for  ages  of** 
vast  quantities  of  treasure  and  portable  property,  and  of 
great  numbers  of  captives  who  were  reduced  to  slavery.  For 
centuries  the  people  of  Pictland  were  served  in  their  dwell- 
ings, fields,  and  laborious  pursuits  by  slaves  chiefly  from 
Britain,  but  also  from  Ireland.  Columba,  the  apostle  of  the 
Picts,  as  Adamnan  ^  informs  us,  in  the  sixth  century,  saw 
among  the  northern  Picts  a  girl  held  in  slavery  by  Broichan 
the  magician,  the  foster-father  of  the  powerful  King  Brude. 
He  demanded  her  freedom,  which  Broichan  at  first  refused. 
Afterward  the  slave  was  liberated.  This  poor  captive  came 
from  Christian  Ireland,  evangelized  about  a  century  and  a 
half  before.  St.  Patrick,  in  his  "Letter  to  Coroticus"  de- 
nouncing his  capture  of  many  of  his  recent  converts  and  his 
murder  of  some  of  them,  says :  "  Wherefore  the  church  la- 
ments and  bewails  her  sons  and  daughters  whom  the  sword 

1  "De  Vita  St.  Columbse,"  Lib.  II.,  cap.  21.,  pp.  752,  758.    Migne. 


168        ANCIENT   BRITISH    AND   IRISH    CHURCHES. 

has  not  yet  slain,  but  who  have  been  carried  away  and  re- 
duced to  slavery  chiefly  among  the  basest,  the  vilest,  and  the 
apostate  Picts."  Christian  shives  from  Ireland  were  among 
the  heathen  in  Pictland ;  and  believing  Britons  must  have 
been  enslaved  by  these  barbarians  while  they  were  uncon= 
verted  especially,  in  great  numbers ;  though  some  of  them, 
after  professedly  receiving  Christ,  still  inflicted  slavery  upon 
captive  brethren.  Every  true  disciple  in  slavery  in  the  family 
of  a  heathen  Pict  must  have  been  a  missionary  in  some 
measure.  And  perhaps  to  that  cause,  as  much  as  to  any 
other,  were  the  Picts,  especially  the  southern  Picts,  indebted 
for  their  general  preparation  to  accept  the  Kedeemer,  and 
many  of  them  for  their  complete  conversion. 

By  a  decree  of  Providence,  not  of  appointment,  but  oi per- 
mission, the  Picts  were  allowed  to  make  many  expeditions 
into  the  country  of  the  Britons,  for  riches  and  slaves ;  that 
in  every  faithful  Christian  captive  whom  they  brought  home 
they  might  add  another  to  the  numerous  witnesses  for  Christ 
who  lived  among  them.  Encouraged  by  the  tidings  which 
reached  them  of  the  conversion  which  blessed  the  restricted 
efforts  of  godly  captives,  and  of  the  pious  soldiers  and  officers, 
or  merchants  supplying  necessaries  to  Roman  camps  on  the 
border  in  intervals  of  peace,  it  is  possible  that  godly  volun- 
teer missionaries,  bent  on  the  salvation  of  souls  at  all  risks, 
penetrated  the  region  beyond  the  "  walls,"  and  with  the  elo- 
quence of  earnestness,  aided  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  drew  large 
numbers  to  the  Saviour.  This  would  be  in  accordance  with 
numerous  examples  in  similar  cases.  No  one  of  these  could 
be  a  Ninian,  or  a  Columba.  If  there  had  been  such  a  laborer 
as  either,  the  conversion  of  the  southern,  or  of  the  northern 
Picts  would  have  borne  his  name  through  all  generations, 
and  many  histories. 

And  it  is  certain  that  there  were  many  followers  of  Christ 
among  them  about  the  close  of  the  fourth  century.  These 
were  of  sufficient  strength  to  be  known  throughout  all  Albania 
and  Britain,  and  in  some  distant  quarters  of  tlie  globe. 


EVANGELIZATION   C;F   THE   SOUTHERN   PICTS.      169 

Tertullian,^  the  well-known  presbyter  of  Carthage,  in 
North  Africa,  as  we  stated  before,  about  a.  d.  200,  in 
enumerating  the  many  peoples  that  had  become  Christian, 
places  in  his  list  the  inhabitants  of  "  parts  of  Briton  not 
reached  by  the  Romans,  but  subjugated  to  Christ !  "  This 
account  describes  exactly  the  converts  among  the  Picts, 
whom  the  Romans  had  not  subdued,  and  never  could  con- 
quer. 

The  Diocletian  persecution  was  an  unspeakable  outrage 
upon  the  laws  of  God  and  the  rights  of  man.  Historians 
generally  regard  this  scourge  to  Christians  in  every  section 
of  the  Roman  Empire,  as  an  active  agent  in  spreading  the 
gospel  in  the  country  of  the  Picts  and  in  Ireland.  Both 
were  outside  of  the  dominions  of  the  Caesars ;  and  regarded 
them,  and  their  edicts  and  soldiers,  with  abhorrence.  Spots- 
wood  says : 

But  that  which  furthered  not  a  little  the  propagation  of  the  gospel 
in  these  parts  [the  country  of  the  Picts],  was  the  persecution  raised 
by  Diocletian,  which  at  that  time  was  hot  in  the  south  parts  of 
Britain  [all  England  and  the  south  of  Scotland,  owned  by  the 
Britons  and  ruled  by  the  Komans].  This  brought  many  Christians, 
both  teachers  and  professors,  into  this  kingdom^  [of  Scotland]. 

There  is  no  reasonable  doubt  of  the  correctness  of  this 
statement.  The  simple  fact  that  the  Christian  Britons  were 
regarded  with  deadly  hatred  bv  the  Romans,  the  persecutors 
of  the  Picts  for  generations,  even  then  would  open  their 
hearts  and  homes  to  the  innocent  fugitives. 

The  number  of  fugitive  Christians  must  have  been  very 
great.  Bede  states  that,  "  IMany  persons,  with  the  constancy 
of  martyrs,  died  in  the  confession  of  their  faith."  He  also 
relates  that  : 

At  the  same  time  that  Alban  was  martyred,  Aaron  and  Julius 
suffered,  and  many^  more  of  both  sexes  in  several  places;  who  when 
they  had  endured  sundry  torments,  and  their  limbs  had  been  torn 

1  "  Adv.  Judaeos,"  Part  IV.,  cap.  7,  p.  303.    Lipsife,  1841. 

2  "  History  of  the  Church  and  State  of  Scotland,"  p.  :?.    London. 

3  "  Eccles.  Hist ,"  Lil).  I.,  cap.  7. 
P 


170         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND    IRISH    CHURCHES. 

after  an  unheard-of  manner,  yielded  their  souls  up  to  enjoy  in  the 
heavenly  city  a  reward  for  the  sufferings  through  which  they  had 
passed. 

The  number  of  martyrs,  according  to  this  historian,  must 
have  been  very  great.  The  tidings  of  their  sufferings  were 
undoubtedly  sent  by  Christians  on  the  spot,  or  living  near 
by,  over  the  whole  Roman  province  of  Britain.  And  then, 
the  alarmed  children  of  God  would  fly  to  some  refuge  in 
their  own  country ;  or,  doubting  the  safety  of  any  home 
asylum,  would  set  out  for  the  country  of  the  Picts. 

It  is  also  worthy  of  notice,  that  those  who  fled  in  this  per- 
secution were  the  resolute  servants  of  God.  The  first  thought 
about  them  naturally  is,  that  they  were  afraid  of  the  pains 
of  martyrdom,  and  ran  away  to  escape  them.  From  Bede 
we  learn  that  Alban  was  twice  offered  deliverance  from 
death  if  he  would  "  sacrifice  to  the  great  gods," — that  is,  to 
"devils,"  as  Alban  properly  described  them.  Unworthy 
believers  required  no  asylum  at  home  or  abroad  from 
Roman  torture  or  death  ;  they  had  only  to  blaspheme  Christ 
and  sacrifice  to  demon  gods,  and  they  were  safe.  When  these 
saints  appeared  among  the  Picts,  it  would  speedily  be  known 
t  •  them  that  they  could  have  lived  in  peace  and  prosperity 
at  home  if  they  had  only  denied  Christ ;  that  for  him  they 
had  given  up  home,  loved  ones,  property,  friends,  and  safety  ; 
and  now  they  were  ready  for  hunger  and  cold,  and  pagan 
inhospitality  and  cruelty  among  them ;  and  when  these  poor 
believing  Britons  informed  the  Picts,  that  such  was  their  love 
for  Christ  that  "they  counted  all  things  but  loss  for  the 
excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  their  Lord,  for 
whom  they  had  suffered  the  loss  of  all  things,"  what  an  effect 
their  flight  and  their  verbal  testimony  to  Jesus  must  have  had 
upon  their  heathen  hosts  ! 

We  can  judge  better  of  their  practical  preaching  to  the 
Picts  by  the  conversion  of  St.  Alban  among  the  Britons, 
more  fully  related  elsewhere  in  this  work.  He  was  a  pagan 
when  the  Diocletian  persecution  began  to  rage  in  Britain. 


evaxgj:ijzation  of  the  southern  picts.     171 

At  this  time  he  gave  shelter  to  a  godly  minister  flying  for 
his  life.     Bede'  relates,  that  Alban — 

Observed  this  man  to  be  engaged  in  continual  prayer,  and  watch- 
ing day  and  night;  when,  on  a  sudden  the  divine  grace  shining  on 
Alban,  he  began  to  imitate  the  example  of  faith  and  piety  which  was 
set  before  him,  and  being  gradually  instructed  by  his  wholesome 
admonitions,  he  cast  off  the  darkness  of  idolatry,  and  became  a 
Christian  in  all  sincerity  of  heart." 

If  such  was  the  case  in  Britain,  many  pagan  Picts  must 
have  been  saved  by  the  fugitive  British  Christians  among 
them.  Valentia,  then  a  Roman  province  occupied  by 
Britons,  now  a  part  of  Scotland,  must  have  suffered  like  the 
rest  of  Roman  Britain.  Its  persecuted  ones  naturally  would 
fly  for  refuge  to  their  neighbors,  the  Picts.  Dr.  M'Lauchlan 
writes : 

Beyond  the  wall  of  Antonine,  to  the  north,  lay  an  extensive  region, 
inaccessible  either  to  the  power  or  persecutions  of  Kome,  and 
thither  many  of  the  oppressed  Christians  would  flee,  betaking  them- 
selves for  security  to  the  kind  offices  of  the  neighboring  heathen; 
nor  would  they  be  received  less  cordially  because  of  their  being 
fugitives  from  Kome.  These  fugitives  would  carry  with  them  the 
faith  for  which  they  had  suffered,  and  would  strive  to  repay  their 
hosts  by  communicating  to  them  the  knowledge  of  its  saving  truths 


In  this  way,  in  common  with  a  number  of  others,  we  are 
convinced  that  the  gospel  reached  manv  hearts  in  the  coun- 
try of  the  Picts.  And  this  is  fully  established  by  the  account 
of  their  reception  of  Ninian,  the  apostle  of  the  southern  Picts. 
From  his  biographer,  Ailred,=^  we  learn  that  he  was  welcomed 
by  a  great  concourse  of  people,  among  whom  were  joy,  devo- 
tion, and  praise  of  Christ.  The  people  hailed  him  as  one  of 
the  prophets.  This  was  a  Christian  greeting  from  the  chil- 
dren of  God  to  their  new  pastor.  And  while  there  is  no 
doubt  that  the  majority  of  the  southern  Picts  were  still 
idolaters,  it  is  quite  certain  that  the  Christians  among  them 

1  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  I.,  cap.  7. 
2 "The  Early  Scottish  Church,"  pp.  50,  51. 

»  Vit.  Nin.,  cap.  2,  in  "  Vitae  Antiquae  Sanctorum  in  Scotia."    Pinkerton  ed. 
London.  1789. 


172         ANCIENT   BRITISH    AND    IRISH    CHUFCHES. 

were  a  very  numerous  body.  This  meeting  between  Bishop 
Ninian  and  his  future  flock  was  held  at  Whithorn,  in  Gallo- 
way ;  and  the  "  territory  of  the  southern  Picts  included 
Galloway  and  the  Lothiaus." 

Ninian  was  the  first  permanent  missionary  who  labored  in 
this  fruitful  field.  That  there  were  occasional  ministers  who 
visited  the  southern  Picts  before  Ninian,  may  be  taken  for 
granted  ;  but  very  much  of  the  gospel  work  among  them  was 
done  by  laymen. 


CHAPTER  II. 

NINIAN,    PALLADIUS,   AND   KENTIGERN. 

Ninian's  birthplace— His  love  for  the  Scriptures— His  church  at  Can- 
dida Casa — His  writings  and  success— Pilgrimages  to  his  grave — He 
left  no  Romish  brand  upon  his  institutions— Palladius  in  Caledonia 
— He  sundered  his  Roman  ties — He  trai.ied  Servanus  and  Ternan — 
Servanus  instructed  Kentigern — He  became  bishop  of  Glasgow — 
He  is  driven  to  Wales — There  he  has  many  converts  and  founds  the 
present  bishopric  of  St.  Asaph — He  returns  to  his  old  field  and  is 
joyfully  received — Many  churches  bear  his  name. 

NiNiAN  or  Ringan  was  born  about  a.  d.  360.  His  parents 
were  Christians.  He  was  inclined  from  early  youth  to  lead  a 
godly  life,  and  to  search  the  Holy  Scriptures  with  diligence. 
Like  the  celebrated  Pelagius,  who  remained  for  a  consider- 
able period  in  Rome  with  otuers  fully  and  regularly  engaged 
in  the  study  of  the  word  of  God  in  their  own  rooms,  Ninian 
went  to  the  eternal  city,  and  gave  much  time  to  the  same 
blessed  pursuit.  Collier  says  he  was  born  in  North  Wales, 
and  it  is  possible  that  Ninian  may  have  learned  to  love  the 
Divine  oracles  under  the  very  influences  that  made  them  es- 
pecially dear  to  the  great  Welsh  heretic,  Pelagius. 

Ailred,  his  biographer  in  the  twelfth  century,  writes  of 
him :  "  He  was  sparing  of  his  words,  assiduous  in  study, 
courteous  in  manner,  ever  subjecting  his  flesh  to  the  spirit, 
and  devoting  himself  to  great  searching  of  the  Holy  Script- 
ures ;  so  much  so  that  he  discovered  that  among  his  people 
[the  Britons]  its  real  sense  was  not  thoroughly  understood."  ^ 
The  stigma  cast  upon  the  supposed  ignorance  of  the  ancient 
Britons  about  the  Scriptures  is  only  a  sneer  at  their  Protest- 
antism by  Ailred,  the  Romish  abbot  of  Rievall  in  York- 
shire, England. 

1  Vit.    Nin.,  Cap.  4,  in  "  Vitse    Antiquae  Sanctorum  in  Scotia."    Pinkerton  ed. 
London,  1789. 

173 


174         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND    IRISH   CHURCHES. 

From  Ailred  we  also  learn  that  so  chaste  was  be  in  body, 
so  wise  in  counsel,  that  all  men  spoke  of  him  [in  Kome],  and 
he  enjoyed  the  highest  favor  of  the  supreme  pontiff.  .  .  And 
the  Roman  pope  hearing  that  in  the  western  part  of  Britain, 
while  some  had  not  received  the  Christian  faith,  others  had 
received  it  from  heretics,  or  from  men  unlearned  in  the  divine 
[popish]  law,  consecrated  Ninian  to  the  episcopal  office,  and 
sent  him  as  the  first  apostle  to  the  people  of  his  own  nation.^ 
Ailred  represents  Ninian  as  a  papal  emissary  coming  to  set 
up  the  authority  of  the  pontiff  among  the  Britons,  and  to 
convert  the  Picts ;  and  Bede,^  whose  testimony  is  decisive, 
relates,  that — 

The  southern  Picts,  who  dwell  on  this  side  of  those  mountains,  had 
long  before  [a.  d.  565],  as  is  reported,  forsaken  tlie  errors  of  idolatry, 
and  embraced  the  truth  by  the  preaching  of  Ninian,  a  most  reverend 
bishop  and  holy  man  of  the  British  nation,  who  had  been  reguhirly 
■instructed  at  Rome  in  the  faith  and  mysteries  of  the  truth;  whose 
episcopal  see,  named  after  St.  Martin,  the  bishop  [of  Tours],  and 
famous  for  a  stately  church,  wherein  he  and  many  other  saints  rest 
in  body,  is  still  in  existence. 

Archbishop  Spots  wood' writes,  that  Ninian  proved  himself 
a  notable  instrument  in  the  church,  for  he  converted  the 
southern  Picts  to  the  faith  of  Christ,  and  for  his  continual 
labors  in  preaching,  not  among  them  alone,  for  he  traveled 
also  among  the  Scots  and  Britons,  and  he  sent  ministers 
everywhere  to  aid  him  in  carrying  the  good  tidings  to  each 
village  and  home  in  the  country  of  the  Picts.  To  assist  him 
in  this  part  of  his  missionary  work  he  had  a  school  for  train- 
ing ministers. 

His  church,  called  Candida  Casa,  oi  White  House,  built  of 
stone,  must  have  been  a  wonder  to  the  Picts.  French  masons 
erected  it ;  and  there  was  no  other  structure  of  the  kind  among 
them.  IS^inian  was  a  man  of  genius,  his  church  pleased  the 
Picts,  and  it  gave  dignity  and  permanency  to  his  mission. 


1  Vit.  Nin.  Cap.,  II.    Pinkerton  ed.    London,  1789. 

2  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  IIL,  Cap.  4. 

3  "  History  of  the  Church  and  State  of  Scotland,"  p.  7.    London. 


NINIAN,    PALLADIUS,   AND   KENTIGERX.  175 

Ninian,  the  Briton,  was  another  St.  Patrick,  the  Briton,  in  a 
diminished  form,  practical,  persevering,  and  filled  with  the 
love  of  Christ,  so  that  he  could  never  rest  until  the  idols  of 
all  the  southern  Picts  w^ere  destroyed,  and  Jesus  was  their 
acknowledged  Saviour. 

Ninian  wrote  a  commentary  upon  the  Psalms,  and  a  book 
of  selections  of  the  remarkable  sentences  of  holy  men,  "  as 
Bale^  relates "  ;  probably  in  the  style  afterward  used  by 
Peter  Lombard  in  his  celebrated  work  called  "  Sentences," 
in  which  he  collected  and  arranged  the  biblical  opinions  of 
the  Latin  fathers,  and  for  which  he  was  often  called  "  Master 
of  the  Sentences." 

Ninian  died  in  a.  d.  432,  when  he  was  seventy-two  years  of 
age ;  and  while  Camden  writes  his  noblest  epitaph  :  "  Ninian 
the  Briton,  a  holy  man,  who  first  enriched  the  southern  Picts 
with  the  Christian  faith,"^  yet  other  witnesses  attest  his  ex- 
traordinary w^orth.  Multitudes  of  all  ranks  made  pilgrimages 
to  his  tomb. 

"His  name,"  says  Dr.  Alexander,  a  Scotch  author,  who 
died  about  thirty  years  ago,  "  still  survives  in  popular  legends 
which  have  been  handed  down  from  father  to  son  for  many 
generations,  and  which  ascribe  to  him  deeds,  in  number  and 
marvelousness,  sufficient  to  have  made  the  reputation  of  a 
dozen  saints."^  George  Chalmers*  counts  twenty-four 
churches  and  chapels  in  Scotland  bearing  the  name  of  St. 
Ninian,  and  it  is  known  that  this  list  does  not  include  all. 

Ninian's  connection  with  Kome  evidently  ceased  soon  after 
he  entered  upon  his  mission  to  the  southern  Picts.  For 
Ninian  to  maintain  the  dominion  of  any  Roman  priest  over 
him  and  the  congregations  he  was  about  to  organize  among 
the  Picts,  would  have  been  to  stir  up  the  most  virulent  oppo- 
sition from  the  entire  Picts,  north  and  south,  and  would,  al- 
most to  a  certainty,  have  resulted  in  his  expulsion  or  death. 

1  Cited  in  Collier's  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  101.    London,  1840. 

2  Britannia,  article  "Galloway,"  p.  379.    Amsterdam,  1639. 

3  Alexander's  "  Ancient  British  Church,"  pp.  171,  172.     London. 
*  "  Caledonia,"  Vols.  I.,  p  315 ;  II.,  p.  211. 


176         ANCIENT    BRITISH    AND    IRISH    CHURCHES. 

The  earth  never  nourished  a  people  who  hated  the  Romans 
more  bitterly  than  the  Picts  and  the  original  Albanian  Scots. 
In  Ninian's  day  they  fought  the  Romans,  and  they  had  waged 
war  with  them,  with  some  intermissions,  for  nearly  four  hun- 
dred years,  and  the  new  missionary  was  so  anxious  to  preach 
the  gospel  that  he  concluded  to  say  nothing  about  the  power- 
ful bishop  of  Rome. 

At  Canterbury,  the  bishops  of  Rome  constantly  maintained 
their  despotic  relations  with  Augustine,  the  first  archbishop, 
and  all  his  successors  until  the  Reformation.  The  whole 
Christian  world  saw  the  chains  that  united  Canterbury  and 
Rome.  Scotch  history  shows  no  papal  links  uniting  Ninian's 
churches  to  the  pope.  He  left  no  mark  of  Romanism  upon 
any  of  his  ecclesiastical  institutions. 

Eager  for  the  salvation  of  the  pagans  around  him,  he  was 
silent  about  his  Romanism  for  a  time  through  prudence,  until 
the  Spirit  of  God  showed  him  the  falsehood  of  even  the  modi- 
fied papal  supremacy  of  that  day ;  and  then  he  discarded  it 
for  ever,  and  ultimately  left  his  church  as  Protestant  as  the 
neighboring  churches  of  Britain. 

As  we  shall  notice  more  fully  again,  according  to  Prosper 
of  Aquitaine,  and  Venerable  Bede,  "  Palladius  Avas  sent  by 
Celestine,  the  Roman  pontiflT,  to  the  Scots  who  believed  in 
Christ,  to  be  their  fiist  bishop,"  in  A.  d.  431.  The  Scots 
referred  to  in  his  commission  were  the  Irish.  His  stay  in 
Ireland  was  short,  though  he  managed  to  build  three 
churches  in  that  country;  rude,  wooden  structures,  one  cf 
which  was  called  "The  House  of  the  Romans."  He  left 
their  country,  as  the  "Four  Masters"  tell  us,  because  "he 
(lid  not  receive  respect  in  Ireland."  The  name  of  the  above 
church,  whether  given  by  himself  or  contemptuously  applied 
by  the  people,  furnishes  evidence  that  he  had  avowed  himself 
a  Roman  emissary.  As  Rome  was  abhorred  by  the  Irish 
as  much  as  by  the  Picts,  though  every  Roman  soldier  had 
evacuated  Britain  some  years  before;  and,  as  the  Irish 
episcopal  dii.^;nty,  conferred  by  Pope  Celestine  upon  Palla- 


NINIAI^,    PALLADIUS,    AND    KENTIGERN.  177 

dius,  aimed  to  set  aside  St.  Patrick,  who  had  long  labored 
in  Ireland  under  the  auspices  of  Christians  in  Britain  and 
Gaul,  without  any  relations  with  Rome,  it  is  likely  that 
patriots,  who  hated  the  legions  of  Imperial  Rome,  and  con- 
verts who  revered  the  devoted  Patrick,  united  in  encour- 
aging Palladius,  the  papal  intruder,  to  leave  Hibernia,  after 
a  brief  sojourn  in  it. 

Palladius,  learning  that  there  were  some  Scots  and  many 
Picts  yet  unsaved  in  Pictland,  sailed  for  that  country.  He 
settled,  it  is  supposed,  at  Fordoun  in  Mearns.  There  he 
labored,  according  to  Spotswood,^  for  twenty-four  years  with 
success,  and  maintained  a  character  without  reproach.  He 
built  a  little  church,  "which  from  him  to  this  day  is  called 
by  a  corruption  of  the  word,  '  Paddie's  Church,'  "  and  a  neigh- 
boring well '  yet  bears  his  name,  There  is  still  held  at  For- 
doun an  annual  fair  called  "  Paddie's,  or  Palladie's  Fair." 

While  the  mission  of  Palladius  was  rewarded  with  some 
converts,  it  bears  no  comparison  in  its  results  with  the  har- 
vest gathered  by  Ninian,  Columba,  or  Kentigern. 

Ninian  set  Palladius  an  example  about  references  to  Rome 
in  North  Britain,  which  he  appears  to  have  carefully  followed 
after  his  repulse  in  Ireland.  M'Lauchlan  justly  writes  :  "  It 
is  clear  that,  so  far  from  the  mission  of  Ninian  and  Palladius 
being  successful  in  introducing  the  Roman  system  into  Scot- 
land, they  had  no  successors  [as  popish  emissaries],  and  it  was 
seven  hundred  years  ere  Scotland  submitted  to  the  jurisdiction 
of  the  Roman  see." ' 

Palladius  accomplished  more  through  two  of  his  disciples 
in  Caledonia  than  by  his  own  direct  efforts— these  were  Ser- 
vanus,  or  St.  Serf,  and  Ternan.  These  men  were  favored 
greatly  by  Providence  in  extending  the  Saviour's  kingdom. 
Their  names  are  mentioned  with  honor  by  all  the  early  his- 
torians of  Scotland.     On   the  Forth,  he  founded   a  famous 


1  "  History  of  the  Church  and  State  of  Scotland,"  p.  7. 

*  A  baptismal  well. 

3  "  The  Early  Scottish  Church,"  p.  106. 


178         ANCIENT   BRITISH    AND    IRISH   CHURCHES. 

school  where  many  clergymen  were  educated,  in  reference  to 
which  it  is  said  that,  "  Servanus  taught  the  Christian's  law  to 
the  clergy."^  His  most  remarkable  pupil  was  Kentigern, 
and  he  was  his  favorite  disciple.  If  he  had  never  instructed 
another,  he  deserves  the  loving  remembrance  of  all  Chris- 
tians in  and  out  of  Scotland,  in  his  own  age  and  every 
other.  It  has  been  truly  written  by  M'Lauchlan:  "The 
impression  produced  by  the  perusal  of  the  '  Life  of  Kenti- 
gern,' the  pupil  of  Servanus,  is,  that  Servanus  preached  and 
taught  as  a  Christian  missionary  at  Culross,  according  to  the 
system  of  the  ancient  British  church ;  "  ^  that  is,  he  rejected 
the  supremacy  of  the  pope,  as  the  British  bishops  declined 
to  submit  to  Gregory  the  Great,  or  to  receive  Augustine 
whom  he  had  appointed  to  be  their  archbishop. 

Kentigern  was  born  about  A.  d.  514.  His  birth  is  en- 
shrouded in  mystery,  occurring  at  Culross  on  the  Forth. 
Like  Ninian,  he  was  a  Briton.  According  to  Archbishop 
Ussher,  he  was  placed  in  the  school  of  St.  Serf  when  young — 

And,  being  talented,  the  boy  advanced  successfully  in  the  acquisi- 
tion of  knowledge;  he  was  beloved  above  all  his  companions  in  the 
eyes  of  holy  Servanus,  and  it  was  his  custom  to  call-  him  Munchu 
[Mungo],  which  means  most  dear  friend.  It  is  well  known  that  not 
otherwise  than  by  the  name  of  St.  Mungo  was  Kentigern  spoken  of 
by  the  Scots  even  to  this  day.^ 

Archbishop  Spotswood*  describes  Mungo  as  so  compas- 
sionate to  the  poor  that  he  distributed  to  them  all  that  came 
to  his  hand.  That  he  ate  no  flesh,  tasted  no  wines  or  strong 
drink,  and  that  when  he  retired  to  rest  he  slept  upon  the 
cold  ground,  having  a  stone  for  his  pillow.  He  practised 
these  discomforts,  not  to  atone  for  his  sins,  the  only  sacrifice 
for  which  was  the  slain  Lamb  of  God,  but  to  crucify  his  pas- 
sions and  fit  him  to  walk  with  God.  And  he  succeeded 
wonderfully  in  his  object. 

1  "  Life  of  Kentigera  in  Glasgow  Chartulary,"  p.  85. 

2  "The  Early  Scottish  Church,"  p.  103. 

3  Ussher's  "Works,"  Vol.  VI.,  p  225. 

*  "  History  of  the  Church  and  State  of  Scotland,"  p.  11. 


1'^!''!' I'i!l'i||:i!:i: 


liiiiiilllMniib^uS^^^^ 


NINIAX,    PALLADIUS,    AND   KENTIGERX.  179 

We  learn  from  Archbishop  Ussher^  that,  in  his  twenty-fifth 
year,  Kentigern  was  consecrated  bishop  of  Glasgow : 

The  king,  the  clergy  of  the  Strathclyde  Britons,  with  other  Chris- 
tians, although  few,  elected  him  to  be  their  pastor  and  bishop,  while 
he  opposed  it  very  much.  Moreover,  they  had  him  consecrated  for 
their  bishop,  according  to  the  usage  of  the  Britons  and  Scots  by  a 
single  Irish  bishop  whom  they  sent  for. 

His  diocese  [field ;  there  was  no  diocese  in  Scotland  for  centuries 
afterward]  was  of  vast  extent,  reaching  from  sea  to  sea ;  he  traveled 
over  it  always  on  foot,  sparing  no  pains  to  spread  the  light  of  the 
gospel  among  the  unbelievers,  of  whom  he  converted  and  baptized 
great  numbers. ^ 

The  apostasy  of  the  Southern  Picts,  soon  after  their  conver- 
sion, and  of  the  Britons  of  Strathclyde,  St.  Patrick's  coun- 
trymen, gave  him  continual  pain,  and  prompted  many  an 
earnest  sermon  and  daily  and  fervent  prayers  for  their  rescue 
from  general  blacksliding.  In  the  midst  of  his  godly  efforts, 
Kentigern  suffered  both  insult  and  injury  from  the  king  of 
the  Strathclyde  Britons  ;  and  he  fled  to  Wales  for  protection. 

Staying  with  St.  David,  in  Menevia,  as  Archbishop  Ussher^ 
states,  he  converted  many  to  the  faith,  and  built  a  church. 
He  also  constructed  a  monastic  school  and  constituted  it  a 
bishop's  see.  In  this  institution  there  were  nine  hundred  and 
sixty-five  persons ;  all  of  them  in  some  way  laboring  for  the 
triumph  of  grace  over  guilt  and  ruin.  On  the  banks  of  a 
Welsh  clyde,  he  founded  this  monastery  and  a  bishopric  which 
exists  now,  and  which  is  still  known  by  the  name  of  his 
disciple  and  successor,  St.  Asaph. 

After  he  had  been  many  years  in  Wales,  Kentigern  was 
recalled  by  the  King  of  the  Strathclyde  Britons,  and  other 
Christians  in  conjunction  with  him.  He  returned  to  Glas- 
gow, accompanied,  as  his  biographer  says,  by  six  hundred 
and  twenty  disciples.  He  was  received  on  his  arrival  with 
great  joy ;  and  rich  blessings  descended  upon  the  ministry  of 

1  "  Works,"  Vol.  VI.,  p.  225. 

2  Butler's  "  Lives  of  the  Saints,"  Vol.  T.,  p.  54.    Dublin, 

3  "  Works,"  Vol.  VI.,  p.  85. 


180         ANCIENT   BRITISH    AND    IRISH    CHURCHES. 

the  word.     At  Holdelin,  many  were  converted  by  the  preach- 
ing of  Kentigern  and  his  disciples/ 

When  Kentigern  returned  from  Wales — 

He  renewed  his  missionary  labors,  in  which  he  was  cheered  by  a 
visit  from  Cclumba  [the  great  apostle  of  the  northern  Picts]  and, 
dying  about  A.  d.  601,  he  was  buried  where  the  cathedral  of  Glasgow 
now  stands.  The  fame  of  St.  Kentigern  is  attested  by  the  many 
churches  which  still  bear  his  name,  as  well  in  Scotland  as  in  the  north 
of  England.  The  church  of  Crosthwaite,  where  Southey  is  buried  was 
dedicated  to  him.  Some  of  his  miracles  are  still  commemorated  by 
the  armorial  ensigns  of  the  cit^^  of  Glasgow ;  these  are  a  hazel  tree 
whose  frozen  branches  he  kindled  into  a  flame,  a  tame  robin  which 
he  restored  to  life,  a  hand-bell  which  he  brought  from  Eome  [where 
he  never  was]  a  salmon  which  brought  from  the  depths  of  the  Clyde 
the  lost  ring  of  the  Queen  of  Cadyow.^ 

If,  however,  his  spurious  miracles,  which  received  form  after 
his  death,  still  survive  in  the  city  arms  of  Glasgow,  he  exerted 
an  influence,  through  the  gospel,  on  the  hearts  of  hosts  of 
Caledonians  in  his  day,  which  has  wielded  a  beneficial  power 
over  their  descendants  through  all  the  ages  since,  and  which 
will  live  and  work  while  the  sons  and  daughters  of  his  spirit- 
ual children  continue  in  any  land  under  an  earthly  sun. 

1  "  Early  Scottish  Church,"  p.  124. 

2  Chamber's  "  Encyclopaedia,"  article  "  St.  Mungo." 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE   LIFE   AND   LABORS   OF   COLUMBA. 

Importance  of  Columba's  future  labors— His  ancestry,  education, 
and  piety— His  grand  reception  at  Clon — His  institutions  at  Derry 
and  Durrow— His  copy  of  the  Gospels  still  in  existence— Derry' s 
interesting  history— He  goes  to  Caledonia /or  Christ. 

St.  Columba  was  trained  in  the  religious  community  of 
which  the  ilkistrious  St.  Patrick  was  the  human  founder. 
Looking  at  the  successes  of  his  personal  ministry,  and  those 
of  his  disciples  during  his  life  and  after  his  death,  in  Great 
Britain  and  Ireland,  he  was  among  the  foremost  preachers  of 
the  gospel  of  any  age  in  these  lands.  His  work  in  Ireland 
was  useful  in  an  extraordinary  measure.  His  labors  in  Scot- 
land not  only  secured  the  conversion  of  hosts  under  the  gen- 
eral name  of  "  The  Northern  Picts,"  but  were  an  unex- 
ampled blessing  to  that  entire  country.  The  pupils  whom 
he  himself  taught  in  lona,  and  some  of  their  disciples  in- 
structed at  lona,  Lindisfarne,  Melrose,  and  Whitby,  led  to 
the  Saviour  the  great  bulk  of  the  Anglo-Saxons. 

There  is  ample  room  to  assert  that  in  a.  d.  635,  when  Aidan 
entered  the  Anglo-Saxon  kingdom  of  Northumbria  with  his 
lona  preachers,  through  apostasy  and  original  heathenism, 
the  celebrated  mission  of  Augustine  and  Gregory  the  Great 
in  England  was  confined  to  the  little  kingdom  of  Kent  and 
Northumbria,  the  east  Saxons  having  fallen  into  apostasy  from 
their  nominal  Christianity. 

After  nearly  forty  years  of  labor,  the  Romish  mission  had 
made  little  advance  from  A.  d.  597,  when  Augustine  baptized 
Ethelbert  of  Kent  and  ten  thousand  of  his  subjects.  But  the 
lona  mission  under  God  swept  over  a  large  part  of  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  kingdoms  and  brought  their  people  to  the  Saviour. 
Q  181 


182         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

Little  wonder  that  Dr.  Alexander  writes  :  "  Columba  stands 
before  us  as  one  of  the  great  missionary  heroes  of  the  church. 
He  has  earned  for  himself  a  name  which  shall  be  held  in 
everlasting  remembrance ;  for  his  is  the  imperishable  glory 
of  having  kindled  a  light  in  these  northern  lands  which  has 
never  since  been  utterly  extiuguished."^ 

According  to  Adannuin/  **  Columba  was  descended  from 
famous  ancestors,  his  father  was  Fedlimid,  the  son  of  Fergus. 
His  mother  was  Aethnia,  the  daughter  of  MacNave."  He 
was  a  relative  of  the  royal  fiimily  of  Ireland.  Columba  was 
a  great-grandson  of  Neill  of  the  nine  hostages;  "so  named 
from  the  hostages  which  he  received  from  so  many  [Hiber- 
nian] nations  that  were  subject  to  him."  His  father  was 
grandson  by  the  mother  to  Lorn  Mor,  son  of  Ere,  one  of  the 
three  leaders  of  the  Dalriadic'  colony  that  founded  the  king- 
dom of  Argyle  in  Caledonia.  He  was  united  by  blood  to 
the  royal  families  of  Ireland  and  of  the  Scots  of  Argyle. 

Columba  was  born  about  A.  d.  521,  in  the  county  of  Done- 
gal, Ireland.  He  received  the  two  extraordinary  names  of 
Crimthan,  a  wolf,  and  Columba,  a  dove.  Subsequently,  either 
from  his  interest  in  the  worship  of  the  sanctuary,  or  from  the 
great  number  of  churches  which  he  established,  he  was  fre- 
quently called  Columcille,  that  is,  Colum  "  of  the  church." 

The  only  authorities  regarded  as  reliable  for  the  leading 
events  of  Columba's  life  are  the  biographies  written  by  his 
successors  in  lona,  Cumin  Fion  and  Adamnan,  Bede's  "  Eccle- 
siastical History,"  and  the  works  of  the  Irish  "  Annalists." 
Cumin  wrote  about  sixty  years  after  Columba's  death,  Adam- 
nan  about  ninety,  largely  appropriating  Cumin's  work,  Bede 
about  a  hundred  and  twenty,  and  Tighernac,  the  earliest  of 
the  "  Annalists  "  in  the  eleventh  century.  The  word  "  relia- 
ble," as  applied  to  these  authors,  has  reference  simply  to  the 
ordinary  facts  of  history  which  they  record  ;  there  is  nothing 


1  "  lona,"  pp.  99,  100.    Religious  Tract  Society.    London. 

2  "Vita  Columba,"  Lib.  L,  cap.  1.,  p.  727.    Migne. 
8  Bishop  Reeves'  "  Vit.  Colum.,"  p.  71. 


THE   LIFE  AND   LABORS   OF   COLUMBA.  183 

miraculous  to  be  received  on  their  testimony,  though  there  is 
no  doubt  of  their  conscientiousness  in  relating  many  incredi- 
ble wonders. 

In  early  life,  Finnian^  of  Clonard  was  his  instructor ;  he 
was  a  man  of  extensive  learning,  of  great  popularity  as  a 
teacher,  and  especially  devoted  to  the  study  of  the  Scriptures. 
Large  numbers  received  their  education  from  him,  some  of 
whom  became  eminent  ministers  of  the  gospel.  Adamnan 
says  that,  "  On  one  occasion,  when  St.  Finnian  saw  Columba 
approaching  him  he  perceived  an  angel  of  the  Lord  as  the 
companion  of  his  walk,  and  he  addressed  some  brethren  near 
by,  and  said:  ^Behold,  now  you  see  St.  Columba,  who  de- 
serves to  have  an  angel  from  heaven  as  his  companion  and 
guardian.' '"  From  this  statement  it  is  certain  that  Columba's 
conduct  had  been  so  remarkably  Christlike,  that  when  a 
mere  youth  at  school  he  was  called  "  saint "  by  the  head  of 
the  institution,  who  also  represented  him  as  having  an  angel 
as  his  companion  and  guardian.  Adamnan  in  a  large  measure 
accounts  for  Columba's  unusual  piety  in  another  part  of  his 
"  Life  "  by  his  reference  to  "  the  period  during  which  he  re- 
mained with  St.  Finbar  the  bishop  [another  of  his  instruct- 
ors], in  his  youth,  learning  the  wisdom  of  the  sacred  Scrip- 
tures." ' 

With  another  of  his  preceptors  [Gemman],  as  we  learn  from 
Adamnan:  "He  was  engaged  in  seeking  divine  [biblical] 
wisdom  while  yet  a  young  deacon."  The  teacher  had  a  spe- 
cial regard  for  his  pupil,  and  was  accustomed  to  call  him 
"  saint "  Columba,  and  apparently  to  study  with  him  away 
from  the  institution.  On  one  of  these  occasions  a  savage  and 
murderous  enemy  chased  a  little  girl  fleeing  from  him  on  the 
open  plain ;  when  she  saw  the  aged  teacher  of  the  young 
deacon  mentioned  above,  as  he  was  reading  in  the  field,  she 
fled  directly  to  him  with  all  possible  speed.     Alarmed  by  her 

1  Ussber's  "Works."   Vol.  VI.,"  pp.  472,  473. 

2  "  Adaranani  Vit.  Colum.,"  Lib.  Til.,  cap.  4;  p.  761.    Migne. 

3  Ibid.,  Lib  II.,  cap.  7,  p.  762.    Migne. 


184         ANCIENT   BRITISH    AND    IRISH   CHURCHES. 

terrified  appearance  he  called  Columba,  who  was  reading  at 
some  distance,  that  both  might  protect  the  girl  with  all  their 
might  from  her  foe.  He,  coming  suddenly  without  any  re- 
gard for  them,  killed  her  at  once  with  his  spear  under  their 
garments,  and  turning  away  he  began  to  depart,  leaving  her 
lying  dead  at  their  feet.  The  old  man  full  of  grief  said  to 
Columba  :  "  Holy  youth,  Columba,  how  long  will  God,  the 
just  judge,  suffer  this  wicked  deed  to  be  unpunished  to  our 
disgrace  ?  "  The  saint  replied  :  "  In  the  same  hour  in  which 
the  soul  of  the  slain  girl  enters  heaven,  the  soul  of  the  mur- 
derer shall  descend  into  hell."  Adamnan  adds  that  the  as- 
sassin at  once  fell  a  corpse  "  before  the  eyes  of  the  holy  youth 
[Columba],"  as  Ananias  lost  his  life  in  the  presence  of 
Peter,  and  that  "  the  report  of  this  sudden  and  dreadful  pun- 
ishment spread  immediately  through  many  of  the  provinces 
of  Ireland,  giving  a  marvelous  reputation  to  the  deacon." 
However  it  may  be  explained,  it  is  certain  that  this  story  at- 
tracted much  attention  to  the  young  Bible  student.  Columba 
was  also  a  pupil  of  the  celebrated  St.  Ciaran  in  the  monastic 
college  of  Clon,  upon  the  Shannon,  in  Ireland,  which  he 
founded.  He  preached  to  the  Irish  Dalreudini  of  Kintyre 
with  success.  He  died  in  A.  d.  594.  For  this  venerable  man 
Columba  ever  cherished  the  warmest  regard. 

An  ode  which  he  wrote  on  St.  Ciaran's  death  is  still  in 
existence,  in  which  he  commemorates  his  virtues,  thanks  the 
Saviour  for  sending  to  the  world  such  an  apostle,  and  styles 
him  the  "  Lamp  of  this  Island."^ 

Columba  probably  received  the  first  idea  of  preaching  to 
the  heathen  Picts  from  Ciaran.  In  the  monastery  of  Clon,^  the 
brethren,  no  less  than  Ciaran,  were  enthusiastic  admirers  of 
Columba.  He  paid  a  visit  to  the  monastery  after  an  absence 
of  some  years,  and  preparations  were  made  to  give  him  a 
hearty  welcome.     Adamnan  writes  that  when — 

The  approach  of  Columba  was  announced,  the  whole  people,  in 
every  direction  from  the  lands  near  the  monastery,  assembled  to- 
1  Alexander's  "  lona,"  pp.  65,  66.    London,  2  Clonmacnois. 


THE   LIFE   AND   LABORS   OF   COLUMBA.  185 

gether,  and  were  met  by  those  who  were  in  it ;  and  going  forth  from 
the  enclosures  of  the  monastery,  following  the  Abbot  Alitherus  with 
great  eagerness,  they  advanced  with  one  mind,  as  if  to  meet  an  angel 
of  the  Lord,  with  faces  turned  in  submission  to  the  earth.  When  he 
appeared  they  kissed  him  with  warm  reverential  regard;  and,  sing- 
ing hymns  and  praises,  they  conducted  him  with  honor  to  the  church  • 
and  that  he  might  not  be  distressed  by  the  pressure  of  a  multitude  of 
his  brethren  they  made  a  safeguard  of  pieces  of  wood,  bound  together, 
to  surround  the  saint  while  walking,  which  was  to  be  carried  by  four 
men  keeping  step  with  him."i 

He  left  Clon  as  a  student,  and  this  triumphant  reception 
was  but  an  example  of  his  experience  as  a  scholar  in  St. 
Ciaran's  University.  That  Columba's  reception  was  not  ex- 
ceeded in  respect,  love,  and  joy  by  any  similar  event  in  the 
history  of  student  life  and  educational  institutions,  may  be 
taken  for  granted.  His  generosity  created  enthusiasm  every- 
where. 

In  a  visit  to  France,  he  was  solicited  by  King  Sigi- 
bert,  who  made  him  large  promises,  to  remain  with  him. 
But  Columba,  whose  ambition  was  to  be  useful  rather 
than  great,  told  him  that  he  was  so  far  from  coveting  the 
wealth  of  others,  that  for  Christ's  sake  he  had  already  re- 
nounced his  own."*  This  answer  corresponds  with  the  gen- 
erous devotion  to  Christ  of  Columba's  entire  religious  life. 

Columba  possessed  a  superior  education.  He  was  familiar 
with  Latin  and  Greek,  secular  and  ecclesiastical  history, 
the  principles  of  jurisprudence,  the  law  of  nations,  the  science 
of  medicine,  and  the  laws  of  mind.  He  was  the  greatest  Irish- 
man of  the  Celtic  race  in  mental  powers ;  and  he  founded  in 
lona  the  most  learned  school  in  the  British  Islands,  and 
probably  in  Western  Europe  for  a  long  period. 

In  his  twenty-fifth  year,  Columba  established  his  first  mis- 
sionary institution  at  Derry.  This  important  event  occurred 
in  A.  D.  546.  Bede,  speaking  of  it,  says :  "  Before  he  passed 
passed  over  into  Britain,  he  built  a  noble  monastery  in  Ire- 
land, which  from  the  great  number  of  oaks,  is  called  in  the 

1  "  Adamnani  Vit.  Colum.,"  Lib.  I.,  cap.  3,  p.  730.    Migne. 

2  Smith's  "  Life  of  Columba,"  p.  51.    Glasgow. 


186         ANCIENT  BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

Scottish  [  Irish  ]  tongue,  Dearm-ach,  the  field  of  oaks." ' 
Writing  of  the  colleges  of  lona  and  Derry,  he  states  that, 
"  From  both  of  these  monasteries,  many  others  had  their  be- 
ginning through  his  disciples,  both  in  Britain  and  Ireland." 
It  is  probable  that  like  the  city  of  St.  Gall,  in  Switzerland, 
which  originated  from  the  monastery  of  the  Irish  missionary, 
Gallus,  Derry,  or  Londonderry  as  it  is  now  called,  owes  its 
existence  to  the  great  school  of  Columba,  located  in  its  field 
of  oaks.  It  was  only  about  twenty  miles  distant  from  Gar- 
tan,  County  Donegal,  where  Columba  was  born ;  and  it  is  not 
unlikely  that  it  was  selected  for  the  triple  purpose  of  confer- 
ring educational  and  religious  blessings  upon  his  numerous 
kindred  and  early  friends,  and  of  receiving  their  protection 
and  help  in  his  first  great  missionary  institution ;  and  also  to 
make  it  a  religious  "  camp  "  in  which  to  drill  recruits  for  the 
invasion  of  heathen  Caledonia,  a  project  which  he  cherished 
at  an  earlier  day  than  the  commencement  of  the  Derry  estab- 
lishment. Its  proximity  to  the  Scottish  coast  makes  it  almost 
certain  that  this  was  a  leading  reason  for  its  selection  as  a 
site ;  while  the  benefits  to  be  conferred  upon  relatives  and 
friends,  and  reasonably  to  be  expected  from  them,  made  it  an 
excellent  location  from  which  to  found  other  literary  institu- 
tions, theological  seminaries,  training  schools  for  missionaries, 
and  workshops  for  teaching  young  mechanics  for  Ireland  and 
Scotland. 

Bede's  statement  that  many  other  monasteries  sprang  from 
lona  and  Derry,  is  confirmed  by  any  number  of  witnesses.  At 
this  early  period  of  Columba's  life,  he  w^as  full  of  consecrated 
effort.  Had  he  been  a  soldier,  like  young  General  Wolfe,  at 
Quebec  in  1759,  he  would  have  led  an  army  up  its  tremendous 
cliff's  to  the  heights  of  Abraham,  and,  infusing  his  own  cour- 
age into  his  men,  would  have  snatched  victory  where  ordi- 
nary generals  would  have  met  defeat.  He  went  everywhere 
throughout  Ireland,  preaching  Christ ;  difficulties  seemed  to 
increase  his  ardor,  and  apparent  impossibilities  quickly  disap- 

~  1 "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  III.,  cap.  4. 


THE    LIFE   AND   LABORS   OF   COLUMBA.  187 

peared  ;  weariness  seldom  crippled  liis  energies  ;  and  the  success 
of  one,  or  half  a  dozen  great  undertakings,  instead  of  calling 
him  to  retirement,  or  even  restful  relaxation,  only  urged  him 
forward  to  equal  or  to  greater  efforts  to  glorify  God.     Souls 
were  saved  in  large  numbers  through  his  ministry,  backslid- 
ers were  reclaimed,  Christians  were  revived,  the  penurious 
became  liberal  givers,  the  sleeping  and  idle  became  wakeful 
and  active  workers.    His  name  was  honored  throughout  every 
part  of  his  native  country.     When  he  preached,  multitudes 
came  to  hear;  and  when  he  commenced  a  new  church  or 
college,  the   number  of  volunteer    helpers  was   great;    and 
when  one  of  his  monastic  schools  was  opened,  the  best  teach- 
ers in  the  island  were  anxious  to  instruct  its  students,  and  they 
gathered,  sometimes  in  thousands,  to  profit  by  its  advantages. 
It  was  the  ao^e  of  consecrated  men  in  Ireland,  and  Columba 
was  regarded,  as  his  years  increased,  as  the  greatest  of  all 
living  believers.     He  was  freely  placed  next  to  the  illustrious 
Patrick  himself,  an  honor  never  accorded  to  any  other  man. 
"  Columcille,"  '  the  "  Four  Masters  "  say,  "  the  apostle  of  Alba, 
[Scotland],   head  of  the  piety  of  the  most  part  of  Ireland 
and  Alba,  after  Patrick,  died  in  his  church  in  Hy  [lona]  in 
Alba  on  Sunday,  the  ninth  of  June.     He  was  aged  seventy- 
seven,  and  he  was  in  the  thirty-seventh  year  of  his  pilgrim- 
age." 

Durrow  Monastic  Mission  Institute  was  founded  A.  d.  553, 
and  became  the  largest  and  most  celebrated  of  all  the  Irish 
colleges  of  Columba.  A  book  of  the  Gospels,  belonging  to 
this  monastery  and  bearing  its  name,  and  now  in  the  library 
of  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  Ireland,  claims  to  have  been 
written  by  Columba.  "An  entry,'  in  Latin,  now  partly 
obliterated,  claims  remembrance  of  the  scribe,  Columba, 
who  wrote  this  evangel  in  the  space  of  twelve  days."  It 
is  believed  by  many  that  this  ancient  copy  of  the  four 
Gospels  is  the  work  of  Columba.     "  To  Columba  is  ascribed 

1  "  Annals  of  the  Kingdom  of  Ireland,"  at  a   d.  592,  O'Donovan,     Dublin,  1819. 
*  "  Ireland  and  the  Celtic  Church,"  p.  107.    London,  1888. 


188         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

the  origin  of  three  hundred  churches  in  Ireland,  amoni:: 
which  are  numbered  those  of  Derry,  Kells,  Tory  Island, 
off  the  Donegal  coast ;  Drumcliffe  in  Sligo,  Swords,  in  the 
county  of  Dublin ;  Raphoe,  Lambay,  near  Malahide,  and 
Durrow." 

Londonderry  has  now  a  population  of  about  twenty-five 
thousand.  It  is  famous  as  the  seat  of  Columba's  first  monastic 
college,  and  as  the  port  from  which  he  set  out  for  his  success- 
ful mission  among  the  northern  Picts  of  Scotland,  as  also  for 
its  heroic  defense  against  the  army  of  the  popish  despot,  James 
II.,  who  had  been  a  fugitive  from  England  for  some  time. 
The  few  hours'  sail  between  Derry  and  Scotland,  where  James 
had  many  friends,  made  its  possession  extremely  desirable, 
that  through  Derry  and  Scotland  he  might  finally  reach 
London.  He  brought  an  army  there  in  the  spring  of  1689, 
composed  of  Irish  and  French,  and  more  than  twenty-five 
thousand  strong ;  when  the  soldiers  arrived,  Macaulay  says, 
the  citizens  were  "  betrayed,  deserted,  disorganized,  and  begirt 
with  enemies."  The  number  of  refugees  and  citizens  "  capa- 
ble of  bearing  arms  within  the  walls  was  seven  thousand,  and 
the  world  could  not  have  furnished  seven  thousand  better 
qualified  to  meet  a  terrible  emergency,  with  clear  judgment, 
dauntless  valor,  and  stubborn  patience.  They  were  all  Pro- 
testants :  "  Presbyterians  and  Episcopalians,"  the  former  the 
more  numerous,  all  Scotch-Irish,  and  from  their  names  a 
goodly  number  of  them  the  descendants  of  Columba's  Cale- 
donian converts.  "  Twice  a  day  worship  was  conducted  in  the 
principal  church."  The  walls  and  other  defenses  were  very 
weak.  Provisions  were  scarce  and  soon  there  was  a  famine. 
But  the  besieged  defended  themselves  with  unsurpassed 
bravery.  "  The  women  were  seen  in  the  thickest  of  the  fire 
serving  out  water  and  ammunition  to  their  husbands  and 
brothers."  Famine  and  pestilence,  rather  than  arms,  reduced 
the  garrison  "  from  seven  to  three  thousand  men."  The  reign 
of  hunger  during  most  of  the  one  hundred  and  five  days  of 
the  siege  furnished  scenes  of  horror  never  surpassed,  the  peru- 


THE   LIFE   AND   LABORS   OF   COLUMBA.  189 

sal  of  which  cannot  cease  to  shock  even  hearts  unaccustomed  to 
compassion  ;  and  yet  "  no  surrender,"  was  the  unanimous  cry 
of  the  besieged,  of  all  ages  and  both  sexes,  from  the  beginning 
of  the  siege  until  the  popish  enemy  fled.  The  entire  people 
inside  the  walls  felt  that  they  were  suffering  and  fighting  for 
salvation  through  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  they  were  all 
prepared  to  die,  like  those  who  had  already  fallen  as  martyrs 
for  the  enthroned  Redeemer.  Two  vessels  laden  with  pro- 
visions, and  protected  by  the  frigate  "  Dartmouth,"  passed  up 
the  Foyle  to  Derry,  through  Irish  batteries  fiercely  active ; 
the  second  morning  after  the  arrival  of  the  vessels,  the  French 
and  Irish  besiegers  were  in  full  retreat.  "  So  ended,"  says 
Macaulay, "  this  great  siege,  the  most  memorable  in  the  annals 
of  the  British  Isles."  ^  By  their  bravery,  the  defenders  of 
Londonderry  stopped  rapid  transportation  to  or  from  Scotland, 
and  gave  wonderful  encouragement  to  the  patriotic  Protes- 
tants of  that  country  and  of  England  at  a  very  critical  time, 

Columba's  monastic  school  at  Londonderry,  and  the  siege 
of  the  city  in  1689,  have  made  it  famous ;  and  have  long 
since  proved  themselves  blessings  of  a  high  order  to  Great 
Britain  and  Ireland,  and  some  countries  beyond  their  limits. 
The  one  broke  the  yoke  of  paganism  from  the  Northern  Picts 
and  the  great  body  of  the  Anglo-Saxons,  the  other  burst  the 
chains  of  civil  despotism  and  Romish  tyranny  in  the  British 
islands  and  their  colonies. 

When  Columba  sailed  for  the  Picts,  the  pioneer  foreign 
missionary  from  Ireland,  in  the  enjoyment  of  some  love  from 
nearly  every  Irish  heart,  with  the  blessings  of  the  rich  and 
the  poor,  the  old  and  the  young  accompanying  him,  he  went 
to  save  pagans  "  for  Christ "  ;  and  he  steered  for  the  Scottish 
coast  at  forty-two  years  of  age,  with  all  his  powers,  physical, 
intellectual,  and  spiritual,  in  full  development.  He  went  as 
a  living  sacrifice  for  God — with  the  windows  of  heaven  open 
to  flood  him  and  his  companions  with  the  richest  blessing. 

1  Macaulay's  "  History  of   England,"  Vol.  III.,  pp.  57,  58,  59,  71 ;    Butler's  ed, 
Philadelphia,  1856. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE    COMMENCEMENT    OF    COLUMBA's    MISSION    TO    THE 
NORTHERN  PICTS. 

Columba  sails  from  Derry  with  twelve  disciples — They  take  posses- 
sion of  lona— Its  hallowed  and  glorious  memories — Its  location  and 
condition— The  island  granted  by  King  Brude — An  Irish  monastic 
building— The  early  Egyptian  monks  lived  for  their  own  sup- 
posed religious  benefit — Columba's  disciples  were  missionaries  and 
teachers  of  ministers — They  were  called  "Soldiers  of  Christ" — 
They  were  spiritual  Knights  of  St.  John— lona  raised  the  supplies 
needed — Much  to  give  away. 

There  is  do  ground  for  doubt  that  Columba  sailed  for  his 
new  mission  field  from  his  first  college  in  Derry,  Ireland.  He 
took  with  him  twelve  disciples,  who  were  all,  it  is  supposed, 
relatives  of  the  missionary.  The  band  left  Derry  for  their 
new  home  in  coracles,  boats  made  of  rods  and  covered  with 
hides. 

The  missionaries  first  landed,  according  to  tradition,  upon 
the  island  of  Colonsay,  from  which  they  could  still  see  the 
coast  of  Ireland ;  to  avoid  this  they  put  to  sea  again,  and 
continued  their  course  until  they  arrived  at  lona.  Here 
they  came  ashore  upon  an  island  which  they  and  their  suc- 
cessors made  famous  for  all  time.  More  than  thirteen  hun- 
dred years  after  the  establishment  of  this  mission,  large 
numbers  of  intelligent  tourists  every  year,  from  nearly  all 
parts  of  the  world,  visit  lona,  not  to  see  the  Romish  ecclesi- 
astical ruins  still  remaining  there,  or  the  burial  places  of 
ancient  nobles  and  kings,  but  the  little  island  where  the 
holiest  man  that  ever  lived  in  Britain  planned  and  prayed  for 
pagan  Picts,  heathen  Anglo-Saxons,  and  Christless  souls  in 
countries  outside  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland. 

The  island  of  lona  lies  off"  the  larger  island  of  Mull  on  the 
190 


COMMENCEMENT   OF   COLUMBA^S   MISSION.  191 

west  coast  of  Scotland.  It  is  about  three  miles  long,  and  va- 
ries in  breadth  from  a  mile  to  a  mile  and  a  half;  its  area  is 
estimated  at  two  thousand  imperial  acres.  The  soil  is  remark- 
ably fruitful,  and  it  yields  earlier  crops  than  most  parts  of 
Great  Britain.  Bede^  states  that  the  island  was  given  to 
Columba  by  Brude  Meilochon,  "  the  powerful  king  of  the 
Pictish  nation."  Tighernac,  in  his  annals,  at  A.  d.  574, 
writes  that  Conall,  son  of  Comgall,  king  of  Dalriada  in 
Caledonia,  granted  it  to  Columba.  The  record  of  Bede  is 
rehable ;  Conall  probably  confirmed  the  gift. 

The  monastic  collegiate  buildings,  erected  by  Columba,  were 
chiefly  of  wattles  and  clay.  They  were  of  slender  construction, 
but  stanch  in  their  occupants.  Adamnan^  relates  that  his 
monks  in  Columba's  time  were  sent  to  gather  rods  for  build- 
ing a  "  guest  chamber,"  which  shows  that  the  humble  dwell- 
ings of  the  inmates  at  that  period  were  of  no  more  enduring 
materials.  After  these  homes  were  in  use  for  some  time  it  is 
not  unlikely  that  planks  were  substituted  for  wattles  and 
clay.  Bede  informs  us  that  when  Finan,  the  Scot,  became 
bishop  of  Lindisfarne,  in  Northumbria,  "  He  built  a  church 
after  the  manner  of  the  Scots,  not  of  stone,  but  of  hewn  oak,^ 
and  covered  it  with  reeds."  Such  a  church  was  reared  at 
lona.  The  monks  occupied  huts  around  a  central  court. 
Columba  himself  had  his  "little  hut"  upon  an  eminence 
overlooking  the  monastic  buildings.  The  Latin  word  used 
by  Adamnan,  which  we  translate  "  little  hut,"  is  tuguriolum, 
the  term  used  by  St.  Patrick  in  his  "  Confession  "  to  describe 
his  lodgings  when  as  a  penniless  fugitive  slave  he  found  shelter 
at  the  seaside  until  he  could  secure  a  passage  to  Scotland. 
Adamnan,  speaking  of  Columba,  represents  a  young  man  as 
standing  "  at  the  entrance  of  the  little  hut  in  which  the  blessed 
man  was  writing."  At  another  time  he  speaks  of  "  the  holy  man 
when  he  was  sitting  writing  in  his  little  hut,"  copying  his  last 

1  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  III.,  cap.  4 

8  Adamnan's  "  Vit.  Colum.,"  Lib.  II.,  cap.  3. 

3  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  II[.,  cap.  25. 


192         ANCIENT    BRITISH   AND   IRISH    CHURCHES. 

verse  from  the  Psalms/  "  They  that  seek  the  Lord  shall  not 
want  any  good  thing." 

Professor  Stokes*''  thinks  that  there  were  two  hundred  per- 
sons in  the  monastery  at  an  early  day.  At  some  periods 
there  were  more.  But  this  number  would  not  be  excessive 
when  we  consider  the  labors  required  by  its  vast  fields,  the 
great  body  of  teachers  needed  in  its  immense  classes,  those 
engaged  in  copying  the  Scriptures,  the  preachers  for  many 
miles  around  whose  only  parsonage  was  lona,  and  all  who 
followed  mechanical  pursuits  in  the  ministry.  These  and 
visitors  from  various  quarters  formed  a  large  village  of  huts. 
Around  this  little  city  of  primitive  homes  a  kind  of  fortifica- 
tion was  thrown  up,  circular  in  form,  a  fort  in  strength  and 
height.  The  cell  of  St.  Cuthbert  on  the  isle  of  Fame,  in  the 
present  county  of  Durham,  England,  as  Bede  relates,  had  a 
mound  so  high  around  it  that  he  could  see  nothing  but 
heaven.^ 

No  buildings  of  the  early  period  of  lona's  Christian  occu- 
pants exist;  their  perishable  materials  have  disappeared 
many  ages  ago.  Traces  of  the  ancient  structures  can  still  be 
found ;  but  the  present  ruins,  instead  of  being  the  fragments 
of  Columba's  buildings,  are  the  remains  of  Romish  ecclesi- 
astical edifices  scattered  over  the  little  island,  truly  represent- 
ing the  papacy  as  Christianity  in  ruins.  Never  were  men 
before,  like  Columba  and  his  brethren,  with  such  culture, 
such  consecration  to  Christ,  and  such  sure  prospects  of  suc- 
cesses, equalling  those  of  apostolic  times,  so  poorly  housed  in 
wattle  huts.  But  they  were  the  followers  of  him  who  as 
man  was  born  in  a  manger,  to  establish  his  throne  on  the 
earth. 

As  we  have  already  seen,  Columba  wished  to  go  abroad 
jor  Christ,  and  therefore  sailed  for  Britain,  that  he  might 
gather  the  Northern  Picts  into  his  fold  and  destroy  their 

»  Adamnan's  "  Vit.  Cohira.,"  Lib.  TI.,  cap.  14;  Lib,  IIL,  cap.  19,  29. 
*  '•  Ireland  and  the  Celtic  Church,"  p.  119. 
8  Bede'3  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  IV.,  cap.  28. 


'^  c 


■      % 


COMMENCEMENT   OF   COLUMBA's   MISSION.  193 

idols.  This  was  his  only  object  in  coming  to  Caledonia,  and 
the  chief  design  of  all  his  brethren  in  taking  possession  of  lona. 
Curzon  in  1849  published  his  "Visits  to  Monasteries  in  the 
Levant,"  in  which  he  gives  the  following  : 

The  Desert  of  Nitria  [is]  famous  in  the  annals  of  monastic  history 
as  the  first  place  to  which  the  anchorites  in  the  early  ages  of  Christi- 
anity retired  from  the  world,  in  order  to  pass  their  lives  in  prayer 
and  contemplation,  and  in  mortification  of  the  flesh.  It  was  in  Egypt 
that  monasticism  first  took  its  rise;  and  the  Coptic  monasteries 
[houses  occupied  by  many  monks]  of  St.  Anthony  and  St.  Paul  claim 
to  be  founded  on  the  places  where  the  first  hermits  established  their 
cells  on  the  shores  of  the  Red  Sea.^ 

The  objects  aimed  at  by  anchorites,  hermits,  and  monks  in 
convents  were,  as  Curzon  says :  "  To  pass  their  lives  in  prayer 
and  contemplation,  and  in  mortification  of  the  flesh."  There 
was  not  a  single  person  in  the  monastic  mission  of  lona  in 
Columba's  day  and  for  ages  afterward,  whose  duties  were 
limited  to  prayer,  contemplation,  and  the  mortification  of  the 
flesh.  They  entered  lona,  as  Columba  came  to  labor,  as  mis- 
sionaries for  Christ.  The  early  monks  ^  of  Columba  were  all 
ordained  presbyter-missionaries,  who  proclaimed  Christ, 
founded  churches,  and  carried  their  spiritual  treasure  wher- 
ever pagans  lived,  though  rugged  mountains  and  savage  wilds 
had  to  be  crossed  to  reach  them. 

The  celebrated  missionaries,  Carey,  IMarshman,  and  Ward, 
sent  to  India  by  British  Baptists,  at  Serampore,  India,  set  up 
printing  presses  to  spread  the  knowledge  of  Jesus  throughout 
that  land ;  for  the  same  object  they  established  a  school  which 
ultimately  became  a  college,  and  they  preached  incessantly, 
lona  was  a  school  and  college ;  it  was  full  of  students,  pro- 
fessors, and  preachers ;  and  it  was  very  active  in  Scripture 
distribution,  as  will  be  shown  presently.  The  college  at 
Serampore  was  a  monastery  in  its  aims  and  constant  efforts 
of  precisely  the  same  order,  conducted  on  a  more  limited  scale, 
as  the  mission  institute  of  lona. 

1  "Visits  to  Monasteries  in  the  Levant,"  p.  66.    New  York. 

2  "  The  Early  Scottish  Church,"  p.  173. 
R 


194         ANCIENT   BRITISH    AND   IRISH    CHURCHES. 

There  was  no  monastery  in  Columba's  day  in  England,  Ire- 
land, or  Scotland  of  the  common  Romish  type,  whose  inmates 
had  practically  nothing  to  do  for  the  outside  world,  and  the  sole 
objects  of  whose  cloistered  lives  were  prayer,  contemplation, 
and  the  mortification  of  the  flesh.  All  the  monasteries  of 
Ireland  and  Scotland  were  educational  mission  institutes. 

One  of  the  common  names  fur  the  monks  of  Columba  was 
"a  Soldier  of  Christ"  {Christi  miles).  Adamnani  appears 
to  delight  in  the  use  of  this  term.  It  was  remarkably  appli- 
cable to  Columba  and  his  brotherhood.  They  occupied  lona 
to  make  war  upon  the  idolatrous  Druid  strongholds  of  the 
northern  Picts.  To  rescue  captives  from  heathenism  they 
were  resolved  to  watch  and  pray ;  to  preach  the  gospel  and 
set  a  good  example  ;  to  make  long  journeys  ;  endure  hunger 
and  cold  ;  and  risk  constant  danger  and  a  violent  death. 

The  famous  Knights  of  St.  John  of  Jerusalem,  in  the  thir- 
teenth century,  had  nineteen  thousand  manors  in  Europe,  each 
one  of  which  could  furnish  a  well  armed  soldier  for  the  suc- 
cour of  the  Holy  Land.  These  warrior  monks  had  pro- 
fessedly no  earthly  business  but  to  fight  the  Moslems  ^  for  the 
rescue,  or  for  the  retention  of  Palestine ;  and  often  they  in- 
flicted disastrous  defeats  upon  their  foes.  The  sole  and  abid- 
ing duty  of  Columba  and  his  brethren  was  to  be  brave  soldiers 
of  Christ  in  Pictland.  And  nobly  they  used  their  spiritual 
weapons  until  its  paganism  was  destroyed,  and  its  people  be- 
came the  happy  captives  of  triumphant  grace. 

The  community  of  lona  had  apple  orchards,  fruitful  fields, 
overflowing  barns,  and  an  abundance  of  everything  to  supply 
the  wants  of  their  large  family  and  their  numerous  visitors ; 
and  to  provide  for  frequent  cases  of  poverty  or  improvidence 
on  the  part  of  the  neighbors.  These  fruits  of  their  island  were 
the  rewards  of  their  labors.  What  a  wealthy  missionary 
society  Columba's  regulations  organized !  The  great  commu- 
nity had  no  need  to  ask  a  single  temporal  gifl  from  any  one 
except  sunshine  and  showers  from  God,  and  they  were  able  to 

1  "  Vit.  Colum.,"  Lib.  III.,  p.  23.  «  "  MaUhew  Paris,"  at  a.  d.  1244. 


COMMENCEMENT   OF   COLUMBA's    MISSION.  195 

furnish  preachers  for  a  whole  kingdom  in  Caledonia,  and  for 
several  Anglo-Saxon  kingdoms !     The  men  of  lona,  Columba, 
no  doubt,  at  their  head,  conducted  their  entire  farming  and 
domestic  labors  themselves.     Bede  writes,^  that  Biscop,  his 
own  abbot,  "  like  the  rest  of  the  brethren,  delighted  to  exer- 
cise himself  in  winnowing  the  corn  and  threshing  it,  in  giving 
milk  to  the  lambs  and  calves,  in  the  bakehouse,  in  the  garden, 
in  the  kitchen,  and  in  the  other  employments  of  the  monas- 
tery."    Colman,  bishop  of  Lindisfarne  was  one  of  the  worthy 
disciples  of  Columba  in  lona,  and  when  in  a.  d.  664,  he  was 
driven  out  of  England  by  King  Oswy,  of  Northumbria,  be- 
cause he  would  not  accept  the  pope's  Easter,  as  we  learn  from 
Bede,  he  went  to  Ireland,  taking  with  him  Scots  and  English 
belonging  to  the  church  of  the  Scots  in  Northumbria.     In 
process  of  time  he  found  it  necessary  to  build  a  monastery  for 
his  English  brethren,  which, was  called  Mageo;  "it  became 
very  large,"  as  Bede  states ;  *•  its  monks  were  gathered  from 
the  province  of  the  English,  and  lived  by  the  labor  of  their 
hands,  after  the  example  of  the  venerable  fathers."'     The 
fathers   to  whom   Colman  refers  are  the   founder  and   the 
brethren  of  lona,  and  their  successors. 


1  Bede'8  "  Eccles.  Hiat.,"  Pref.  p.  10.  2  ibid.,  Lib.  IV..  cap.  4. 


CHAPTER  V. 

columba's  success. 

Columba's  devotion  to  copying  the  Scriptures— Thus  engaged  on  the 
day  of  his  death— He  selected  talented  youths  for  education  and 
future  usefulness— Marriage  allowed  in  lona,  the  wives  living  in  a 
neighboring  island— Anglo-Saxons  employed  in  lona  that  mission- 
aries in  England  might  learn  its  language— No  monkish  rule  en- 
joined by  Columba. 

The  brethren  at  lona,  from  the  abbot  to  the  least  import- 
ant member,  appear  to  have  adopted  the  task  of  preparing 
the  Scriptures  for  circulation.  The  "Four  Masters"  say: 
"Columcille^  went  to  Alba  [Scotland],  where  he  afterward 
founded  a  church."  And  in  a  note  it  is  added,  "  He  wrote 
three  hundred  New  Testaments  with  his  own  hand,  and  por- 
tions of  the  Old  Testament."  This  statement  is  more  likely  to 
be  below  the  number  than  above  it ;  and  it  represents  a  vast 
amount  of  labor.  Among  the  early  things  that  gave  him 
prominence  was  a  dispute  with  St.  Finnian  and  King 
Diarmad,  about  a  psalter,  which  he  copied,  which  Fin- 
nian claimed,  because  he  owned  the  original. 

The  day  of  his  death,  with  a  strong  conviction  that  he 
should  go  to  heaven  that  day, 

He  sat  in  his  hut  transcribing  the  psalter,  and  coming  to  the  sen- 
tence in  the  thirty-fourth  Psalm  where  it  is  written,  "They  that 
seek  the  Lord  shall  not  want  any  good";  he  said,  "Here  I  must  stop 
at  the  end  of  the  page;  what  follows  let  Baithen  transcribe."  The 
last  verse  which  he  wrote  was  appropriate  for  the  saint  about  to 
depart,  for  everlasting  mercies  would  never  fail  him.  For  his  suc- 
cessor, the  father  and  teacher  of  his  spiritual  sons,  the  following  is 
proper,  "Come,  children,  hearken  unto  me,  and  I  will  teach  you  the 
fear  of  the  Lord."  ^ 

If  ever  a  Christian  was  especially  earnest  in  making  copies 

1  "  Annals  of  the  Kingdom  of  Ireland,"  at  A.  D.  556.    O'Donovan's  ed. 

2  Adamnani  "  Vit.  Colum.,"  Lib.  III.,  cap.  29. 

196 


197 

of  the  Scriptures  in  his  earlier  days  and  in  his  later  years, 
for  the  enlightenment  and  salvation  of  men,  that  believer  was 
the  venerable  Columba.  His  followers  imbibed  his  love  for 
the  sacred  volume. 

Dr.  M'Lauchlan's  statement  cannot  be  reasonably  doubted, 
that  "  Columba's  own  home  work,,  and  that  of  his  disciples, 
was  transcribing  the  Scriptures."^  And  if  he,  with  the 
supreme  direction  of  a  great  many  monasteries  in  Caledonia 
and  Ireland,  wrote  three  hundred  New  Testaments  "  with  his 
own  hand,"  and  portions  of  the  Old  Testament,  the  monks  of 
lona,  during  his  long  presidency  of  their  institution,  must 
have  transcribed  many  thousand  copies ;  and  the  issue  of  the 
Scriptures  by  his  very  numerous  monasteries  must  have  been 
simply  enormous ;  especially  as  they  rejected  all  mere  human 
authority  in  religious  belief,  or  in  Christian  observances. 

Another  rule  that  governed  lona  was  the  selection  of  the 
most  talented  and  godly  youths  for  careful  instruction  in 
several  branches — an  education  which,  for  that  age,  or  even 
for  our  own,  was  of  no  mean  order ;  and  such  a  training  as 
would  develop  their  piety  and  prudence  in  the  largest  meas- 
ure. He  chose  men  of  learning,  devoutness,  and  zeal  for 
his  first  associates  in  lona.^  By  this  perfectly  proper  course 
the  Jesuits  secured  for  a  time  almost  the  mastery  of  Europe. 
Columba's  selection  invariably  joined  piety  to  manifest  ability. 
The  results  of  this  course  are  conspicuously  seen  in  the  Scot- 
tish missionaries,  whose  success  in  the  conversion  of  a  large 
m.ijority  of  the  ancient  Anglo-Saxons,  deserves  the  gratitude 
of  their  descendants  everywhere. 

Aidan  was  a  man  of  eminent  talents  and  of  apostolic  piety. 
Finan,  Colman,  and  Diuma  would  have  been  great  religious 
baders  in  any  country.  There  is  much  ground  for  believ- 
ing that  these  men  were  chosen  in  early  life  for  missionary 
training  by  Columba  himself;'   they  were  all  instructed  in 


1  "  The  Early  Scottish  Church,"  p.  175. 

'  Smith's  "  Life  of  Columba,"  p.  185.    Glasgow. 

3  Ibid  ,  p.  188. 


198         ANCIENT    BRITISH    AND    IRISH    CHURCHES. 

loua.  The  enlistment  of  men  of  eminent  talents,  who  lived 
near  to  God,  to  go  from  Ireland  to  Pictland,  and  the  training 
of  students,  largely  contributed  to  the  success  of  the  Pictish 
mission  at  the  beginning  as  well  as  later  in  its  history. 

Marriage  was  not  prohibited  in  lona,  though  its  practice 
may  not  have  been  common.  Dr.  W.  Lindsay  Alexander 
thinks  otherwise.     He  says  : 

Marriage^  was  allowed,  and  most  of  them  [the  monks  of  lona]  seem 
to  have  entered  into  this  state.  Their  wives  were  not  permitted  to 
reside  with  them  in  the  college.  Near  lona  there  is  an  island  which 
still  bears  the  name,  Ellen  nain  ban  [Women's  Island],  where  their 
husbands  seem  to  have  resided  wif,h  them,  except  when  duty  required 
them  in  the  college  or  the  sanctuary. 2 

So  resolved  were  the  missionaries  in  lona  upon  the  accom- 
plishment of  their  great  work,  that  when  their  brethren  had 
to  minister  to  a  people  who  spoke  a  foreign  language,  they 
employed  suitable  persons  from  their  country  in  their  colleges 
to  teach  them  the  strange  tongue.  When  Aidan  began  to 
preach  in  England,  King  Oswald,  of  Northumbria,  was  his 
interpreter  ;  but  missionaries  for  the  Anglo-Saxons  were  soon 
after  instructed^  in  lona  by  natives  of  their  field.  Adamnan 
mentions  some  of  these  in  lona,  such  as  "  Genereus,*  a  Saxon, 
and  Pilu,  a  Saxon." 

There  is  no  evidence  that  they  accepted  any  formal  monk- 
ish rule.  Columbanus  had  a  rule,  and  one  of  great  strictness, 
and  from  the  similarity  of  his  name  to  that  of  the  founder  of 
lona,  Columba  has  been  sometimes  credited  with  it.  The 
three  ordinary  vows  of  the  monks — celibacy,  poverty,  and 
obedience — were  either  rejected  totally  at  lona,  or  received  in 
a  modified  form.  Celibacy  and  poverty  were  never  imposed 
there,  and  even  obedience  was  only  imposed  within  moderate 
limits. 

1  "lona,"  pp.  109,  110.    Religious  Tract  Society  of  London. 

»  Jaraieson's  "  History  of  the  Culdees,"  pp.  30-32. 

«  Smith's  "Life  of  St.  Columba,"  p.  146. 

*  "  Vit.  Colum,"  Lib.  IIL,  cap.  14,  p.  764,  and  Lib.  III.,  cap.  26,  p.  769.     Migne. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


THE   ABBEY   OF   lONA. 


The  decision  of  the  abbot  of  lona  sometimes  reversed  by  the  brethren 
— Columba  preached  "The  word  of  Life"— Preparations  made  to 
support  the  mission  —  Columba  preaciies  to  King  Brude — The 
Druids' hostility  to  Columba— Conversion  of  the  King  and  his 
friends— The  Northern  Picts  become  a  Christian  people. 

The  abbot's  authority  was  supreme  until  an  appeal  was 
made  to  the  brotherhood,  and  their  decision  might,  and  some- 
times actually  did,  reverse  his.  Adamnan,  the  abbot,  Col- 
umba's  biographer,  was  persuaded  to  adopt  the  Romish 
Easter  while  he  visited  Alfrid,  king  of  Northumbria,  and 
upon  his  return,  as  we  learn  from  Bede,^  "  he  endeavored  to 
bring  his  own  people  into  the  way  of  [Romish]  truth,  that 
were  in  the  isle  of  lona  or  that  were  subject  to  that  monas- 
tery ;  but  in  this  he  could  not  prevail.''  "  That  is,  to  say, 
the  brethren  in  lona  overruled  the  abbot's  decision  and  nulli- 
fied it,  as  they  had  a  perfect  right  to  do  ;  and  of  their  authority 
to  do  this  he  makes  no  complaint.  All  the  Columban  insti- 
tutions in  Scotland  followed  lona." 

Columba's  doctrines  were  thoroughly  evangelical.  Adam- 
nan  writes,  "  Columba  ought  to  be  called  pure  and  innocent, 
as  with  a  dove-like  disposition,  he  had  given  a  guest  chamber 
within  himself  to  the  Holy  Spirit."  The  Saviour  says, 
"  When  he  the  Spirit  of  truth  is  come  he  will  guide  you  into 
all  truth."  lona,  ruled  by  an  abbot  like  Columba,  whom  it 
trusted  and  loved,  yielded  joyfully  to  him  in  everything. 

He  knew  nothing  of  salvation  by  works,  prayers,  sacra- 
ments, payments,  or  sufferings;  he  preached  Christ's  love,  liis 
death,  his  readiness  to  save,  his  intercession  for  all  that  came 
to  God  by  him;  and  through  these  truths,  pressed  upon  him 

i"Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  V.,  cap.  15. 

109 


200         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

by  the  Spirit  within  him  and  upon  others  by  the  same  Spirit 
attending  his  ministrations,  the  Redeemer  was  glorified  by  the 
converts  of  counties  or  of  a  kingdom. 

He  preached  salvation  by  the  repentance  which  takes  r. 
man  from  the  practice  of  his  sins  to  the  Saviour  and  removes 
the  guilt  of  his  iniquities  without  the  influence  of  any  cere- 
mony, or  human  merit. 

Let  us  go,  says  Columba  to  his  servant,  to  meet  a  proselyte  whose 
true  repentance  Christ  has  accepted.  But  Fechnaus  [the  proselyte], 
descending  from  the  vessel,  ran  to  meet  the  saint  coming  to  the  har- 
bor. .  .  and  he  made  a  ver^^  sad  lamentation,  and  confessed  his  sins 
before  all  who  were  there  The  saint,  weeping  together  with  him, 
said  to  him,  "Arise,  son,  and  take  comfort,  thy  sins  are  remitted  of 
which  thou  art  guilty ;  for  thus  it  is  written,  '  God  does  not  despise 
the  lowly  and  the  broken  heart.'"  He  arose fjoyfully  and  was  re- 
ceived by  the  saint.  ^ 

In  this  account  Columba  makes  no  claim  to  pardon  the 
man  by  saying,  like  the  Catholic  priest  to  his  penitent,  "  I 
absolve  thee,"  etc.  He  simply  says,  "  Thy  sins  are  remitted." 
And  the  ground  for  this  assurance  is  the  writing  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  "  God  does  not  despise  the  lowly  and  the  broken  heart." 
Columba  did  not  preach  among  the  Picts  the  washing  away 
of  sin  by  baptism,  or  its  removal  by  priestly  absolutions. 
We  have  in  connection  with  the  conversion  of  Fechnaus  an 
account  of  the  intense  interest  Columba  had  in  the  salvation 
of  men.  Somehow  he  had  learned,  before  his  vessel  reached 
port,  that  "  Fechnaus  was  in  distress  about  his  sins,"  and  as 
soon  as  his  servant  saw  the  boat  approaching  the  harbor, 
Columba,  full  of  eagerness,  set  out  to  encourage  the  proselyte, 
not  yet  landed ;  when  the  saint  met  him  weeping  and  con- 
fessing his  sins,  he  mingled  his  tears  with  those  of  the  peni- 
tent, and  pointed  him  to  the  fountain  of  consolation  and 
cleansing. 

While  "  Columba  tarried  for  some  days  in  a  province  of 
the  Picts,"  as  Adamnan  ^  relates,  "  a  certain  peasant,  with  his 

1  Adamnani  "  Vit.  Colum.,"  Lib.  I.,  cap.  16. 

2  Ibid.,  Lib.  II.,  cap.  20. 


THE  ABBEY   OF   lONA.  201 

whole  household,  hearing  the  word  of  life  through  an  inter- 
preter, the  holy  man  [Columba]  being  the  preacher,  believed 
and  was  baptized,  the  husband  with  the  wife,  and  the  chil- 
dren, and  the  servants."  Here  the  theme  of  the  apostle  of  the 
Northern  Picts  was  "  the  word  of  life,"  and  faith  was  the  in- 
strument of  salvation,  the  possession  of  which  fitted  them  for 
a  public  profession  of  Christ  in  baptism. 
Adamnan  ^  writes  in  another  place  of  an — 

Old  decrepit  pagan  whom  two  youths  lifted  from  a  ship  and  placed 
before  the  face  of  the  blessed  man  [Columba].  He  immediately  be- 
lieved the  word  of  God  received  from  the  saint  [Columba]  by  an 
interpreter  and  was  baptized  by  him  ;  and  after  the  mysteries  of  bap- 
tism were  completed,  as  the  saint  prophesied,  he  died  in  the  same 
place,  and  his  companions  buried  him  there  and  piled  up  a  heap  of 
stones  [upon  his  grave]  which  is  seen  at  this  day  on  the  seashore; 
and  the  river,  at  that  place  in  which  he  received  baptism,  is  called  in 
our  times  by  the  inhabitants  after  his  name. 

In  this  case  Columba  preached  "  the  word  of  God  " ;  and 
the  man,  though  an  old  heathen,  burdened  with  the  supersti- 
tions of  idolatry  throughout  a  long  life  believed.  Elsewhere, 
Adamnan^  relates  that  "the  holy  old  man,  stating  these 
things,  as  quickly  as  he  could,  preceded  his  fellow-travelers 
until  he  came  down  into  a  field,  and  there  a  certain  aged 
man,  Enichatus  by  name,  was  found  Avho  heard  the  word 
of  God  preached  by  the  saint  [Columba],  and  he  believed 
and  was  baptized."  This  shows  most  emphatically  that  "  the 
word  of  God  "  was  the  subject  of  Columba's  preaching  to  the 
Northern  Picts;  and  that  true,  heart-felt  repentance  and 
faith  were  wrought  in  those  whom  he  baptized.  At  least, 
these  formed  the  basis  of  their  acceptance  for  baptism. 

These  were  the  chief  themes  which  filled  his  conversations, 
and  his  sermons,  and  eventually,  the  hearts  of  all  Pict- 
land. 

Bede,'  who  died  about  A.  D.  735,  some  thirty  years  after 

1  Adamnani  "  Vit.  Colum.,"  Lib  I,,  cap.  19. 

2  Ibid.,  Lib.  III.,  cap.  18. 

3  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  III.,  cap.  4. 


202      A^'CIE^'T  British  and  irish  chupwChes. 

Adamnan,  gives  the  same  subject  as  the  burden  of  Columba's 
sermons. 

His  declaration  is,  "  There  came  into  Britain,  in  A.  D.  565, 
a  famous  priest  and  abbot,  a  monk  by  habit  and  life,  whose 
name  was  Columba,  to  preach  the  word  of  God  to  the  pro- 
vinces of  the  Northern  Picts."  The  "  Anglo-Saxon  Chronicle," 
at  A.  D.  565,  states  that  Columba  came  to  the  Picts  and  con- 
verted them  to  the  faith  of  Christ.  Columba's  orthodoxy 
was  that  of  a  modern  evangelical  missionary.  Is  it  remark- 
able, that  having  "  the  word  of  God,"  which  is  the  sword  of 
the  Spirit,  as  his  missionary  weapon,  with  the  Spirit  himself 
occupying  the  guest  chamber  of  his  heart,  he  should  uproot 
grievous  sins  and  the  idolatry  of  the  Northern  Picts,  and 
through  his  disciples  the  heathenism  of  multitudes  of  the 
ancient  Anglo-Saxons  ? 

It  is  greatly  to  be  regretted  that  we  have  no  good  "  Life  " 
of  Columba;  the  two  ancient  biographies  of  this  distin- 
guished man  have  taken  but  little  notice  of  the  details  of  his 
purely  missionary  labors. 

Such  historical  matters  as  Adamnan  does  give,  and  they 
are  numerous  and  valuable,  are  merely  frames  for  his  pic- 
tures of  Columba's  supposed  prophecies,  miracles,  and  visions 
of  angels.  » 

It  took  some  time  for  Columba  to  erect  his  large  college  in 
lona,  and  to  plant  crops  and  fruit  trees  for  his  numerous 
family,  so  that  his  mind  might  feel  at  ease  on  their  account, 
and  that  numbers  of  them  might  be  ready  to  enter  upon  the 
full  work  of  gospel  preachers  when  he  began  it  himself.  He 
may  have  spent  one  or  two  years  in  preliminary  arrange- 
ments, essential  to  future  usefulness.  Meanwhile,  perhaps 
through  an  interpreter,  he  acted  according  to  liis  custom  ob- 
served before  and  after  this  period,  by  presenting  the  gospel 
to  the  people  of  the  neighboring  islands,  and  others  on  the 
mainland,  who  in  many  cases  accepted  it.  In  this  way  he 
and  his  brethren  received  much  encouragement  from  their 
limited  services  for  Christ. 


THE   ABBEY-   OF   ION  A.  203 

At  length  he  resolved,  after  earnest  prayer  for  help,  to  go 
and  preach  to  King  Brude  himself.  He  knew  that  his  con- 
version would  secure  the  attention  of  his  subjects,  and  that 
the  Spirit  of  God  would  unlock  their  hearts.  The  journey 
was  one  of  at  least  a  hundred  and  fifty  miles  by  land  and 
water,  and  had  little  attraction  for  a  missionary  in  that  day. 
The  men  along  its  lochs,  and  rivers,  and  glens  had  no  friend- 
ship for  any  Christian  ;  but  it  mattered  not,  God  was  with 
him,  and  he  was  sure  of  it ;  and  as  Adamnan  relates,  "  In  the 
first  great  weariness^  of  the  journey,"  without  waiting  for 
rest,  he  resolved  to  seek  an  interview  with  Brude  himself, 
the  mighty  king. 

He,  puffed  up  with  regal  conceit  in  his  fortress,  in  a  spirit  of  arro- 
gance would  not  open  his  gates  on  the  first  approach  of  the  blessed 
man  [Columba].  When  the  man  of  God  noticed  this,  he  drew  near 
with  his  companions  and  first  making  the  sign  of  the  Lord's  cross 
upon  the  closed  doors,  then  knocking",  he  placed  his  hand  upon  the 
gate,  which  instant'y  opened  of  its  own  accord  with  great  swiftness, 
the  bolts  having  been  driven  back  with  much  force.  Through  the 
gate,  instantly  opened,  the  saint  and  his  associates  entered.  The 
circumstances  becoming  known,  the  king  and  his  advisers  were 
greatly  alarmed,  and  leaving  the  palace  he  advanced  to  meet  the 
blessed  man  with  respect,  and  addressed  him  very  courteously  in  con- 
ciliatory words,  and  from  that  time  afterward,  during  the  remaining 
days  of  his  life,  the  king  held  the  holy  and  venerable  man  in  very 
great  honor. 

Of  course  the  miraculous  part  of  this  narrative  is  a  mere 
legend,  and  so  also  was  the  making  of  the  sign  of  the  cross 
over  the  gate.  But,  that  Columba  and  his  followers  practi- 
cally forced  themselves  into  Brude's  presence,  and  that  he  sup- 
posed that  their  god  alone  could  give  them  such  courage,  seem 
unquestionable  facts.  The  king  at  first  was  seriously  alarmed, 
and  so  were  the  members  of  his  chief  council  [senatus] ; 
but  when  Columba  preached  to  him  and  them  the  word  of 
God,  showing  the  greatness  of  his  love,  the  atoning  power  of 
Christ's  sufferings,  the  sure  punishment  of  the  unbelieving  in 
the  lost  world,  and  the  immediate  need  of  repentance  and 

1  "  Vit.  Colum.,"  Lib.  II.,  cap.  23. 


204         ANCIE>iT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHUKCHES. 

faith  in  the  Saviour,  the  king  and  his  friends  were  deeply- 
troubled  by  their  sins,  and  as  he  poured  out  an  audible 
prayer  to  the  Redeemer  in  the  spirit  of  a  hymn  which  he 

composed : 

"  As  thou  didst  suflfer  on  the  cross, 
To  save  a  guilty  race, 
Show  me  thy  power  with  thy  love, 
And  glory  grant  and  grace,"  ^ 

they  put  their  trust  in  the  Lamb  of  God,  and  from  that  time, 
until  death  Brude  was  the  warm  friend  of  Columba.  The  saint 
became  a  welcome  and,  considering  the  distance,  a  frequent 
visitor  at  Brude's  residence.  And  his  conversion  and  friend- 
ship, together  with  the  favor  of  his  cabinet,  were  of  the  great- 
est service  to  Columba  in  the  conversion  of  the  Picts. 

The  hostility  of  the  Druids  was  constant  and  deadly  ;  but 
Columba  burning  with  love  to  Jesus,  and  with  zeal  to  save 
the  lost,  went  everywhere  preaching  the  word.  The  apostle 
of  the  Northern  Picts  had  a  "  voice  which  could  be  heard 
like  a  trumpet,  even  to  a  mile's  distance  "  ;  he  had  real  elo- 
quence ;  sympathy  ran  in  every  utterance  and  opened  the 
hearts  of  his  hearers  to  receive  the  gospel ;  he  had  tact  as  a 
speaker  and  ruler  of  monasteries  which  was  never  surpassed  ; 
his  well-known  purity  of  character  and  generosity  gave  im- 
mense force  to  his  addresses  ;  sickness,  weariness,  wickedness, 
were  scarcely  impediments  to  his  march  over  the  rugged 
highlands ;  he  wanted  no  money  or  goods  from  the  rich  or 
the  poor  to  compensate  him  for  his  unceasing  toils  and  sacri- 
fices ;  and  then  he  had  the  noblest  message  for  guilty  men 
ever  conceived  in  heaven  or  proclaimed  to  broken  hearts — 
the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  God's  son,  through  faith,  cleanses 
from  all  sin.  As  he  went  everywhere  over  his  wide  field, 
Bible  in  hand  and  the  Spirit  of  God  in  the  "  guest  chamber  " 
of  his  heart,  the  clansmen  in  tens  of  thousands  followed  the 
example  of  King  Brude  and  of  their  chieftains,  and  the 
whole  country  was  aroused. 

1  Smith's  "  Life  of  St.  Columba,"  p.  174.    Glasgow. 


THE   ABBEY   OF   lONA.  205 

Ministers  from  lona  and  from  the  Columban  monasteries 
in  Ireland  accompanied  their  veteran  leader  and  were  sent 
out  on  all  sides  of  his  line  of  travel  to  open  new  fields  for 
sowing  gospel  seed,  or  to  follow  converts  to  their  homes  and 
establish  churches  among  them.  Others  were  left  by  Co- 
lumba  to  preach  permanently  in  the  chief  centres  of  gospel 
power.  Bibles,  made  in  Ireland  for  this  glorious  regenera- 
tion of  a  whole  people,  were  placed  in  locations  where  some 
one  could  expound  them  to  listening  throngs.  The  work 
of  Coluraba  and  his  assistants  knew  no  abatement,  nor  did 
the  prosperity  of  the  mission  ;  and  at  last  the  pagan  section 
of  the  Picts,  through  years  of  prayerful  toil,  became  a  Chris- 
tian kingdom. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

columba's  work  established. 

Columba's  name  commemorated  in  many  places — lona  a  famous 
school  of  learning— Bishops  subject  to  its  abbot — Columba  used 
no  liturgy— Remarkable  answers  to  his  prayers. 

"Columba's  name  has  been  traced  to  fifty-three  places, 
both  among  Scots  and  Picts,  where  it  is  commemorated 
either  in  [baptismal]  wells,  or  in  churches  dedicated  to 
him."  ^     Dr.  Smith  writes  : 

Columba  planted  churches  in  all  our  western  isles,  and  in  all  the 
territory  of  the  ancient  Scots  and  Northern  Picts,  and  some  even  be- 
yond them.  Most  of  our  parishes  still  bear  the  names  of  his  disciples  ; 
and  the  number  of  places  whose  names  begin  with  "  Kil"  [church], 
show  how  thickly  our  churches  were  anciently  planted,  so  that  there 
is  much  reason  to  believe  that  the  largest  number  ascribed  to 
Columba  is  not  above  the  mark.  Providence  smiled  in  a  remarkable 
manner  upon  his  labors,  and  his  success  was  astonishing.  It  is  no 
wonder  that  such  an  extraordinary  man  should  have  been  greatly 
revered  while  alive,  and  that  his  memory  should  have  been  pro- 
foundly venerated  after  death.^ 

Neander  writes  of  Columba : 

In  lona  he  founded  a  monastery  which  under  his  management 
during  thirty  years,  attained  the  highest  reputation,  a  distant  and 
secluded  seat  for  the  pursuit  of  biblical  studies  and  other  sciences. 
The  memory  of  Columba  made  this  monastery  so  venerated,  that  its 
abbots  had  the  control  of  the  bordering  tribes  and  churches;  and 
even  bishops  acknowledged  their  authority,  though  they  were  but 
simple  priests.^ 

Not  a  hint  is  given  by  early  writers,  who  describe  the  life 
and  labors  of  Columba,  of  any  liturgy  which  he  used.  He 
and  his  associates,  as  we  are  informed,  made  copies  of  the 

1  "  Vit.  Colum,"  p.  289.    Reevea'  ed. 

2  "  Life  of  St.  Columba,"  pp.  180, 181.    Glasgow. 

3  "  History  of  the  Christian  Church,"  Vol.  III.,  p.  10.    Boston. 

206 


207 

Psalms,  Gospels,  New  Testament,  and  of  the  Old  Testament ; 
but  nothing  is  said  about  transcribing  liturgies,  or  any  forms 
of  prayer  or  worship.  The  Lord's  Supper,  in  the  early 
churches,  inspired  an  interest  only  partially  known  in  later 
times ;  if  any  written  form  of  service  existed  in  Columba's 
day,  we  should  find  it  in  the  celebration  of  the  Eucharist ; 
but  though  Adamnan  makes  repeated  references  to  it  in  his 
"  Life  of  Columba,"  there  is  absolutely  nothing  of  a  liturgical 
character  in  it.  Adamnan  mentions  that  four  of  the  holy 
founders  of  monasteries  from  Ireland  visited  Columba ;  and 
with  one  consent,  "they  chose  him  to  consecrate  the  sacred 
mysteries  of  the  Eucharist  in  the  church  before  them ;  he 
complied  with  their  wishes,  and  on  the  Lord's  Day  entered 
the  church  at  the  same  time  with  them ;  and  then,  after  the 
reading  of  the  Gospel,  according  to  custom,  the  solemn  rites  of  the 
service  \^for  believers']  were  celebrated.''  ^  This  included  the 
Eucharist.  It  is  worthy  of  special  notice,  that  reading  the 
Gospel  [the  account  of  the  institution  of  the  Eucharist]  was 
the  customary  introduction  to  the  actual  distribution  of  it, 
in  lona,  when  Columba  directed  its  devotions.  The  observ- 
ance of  this  ordinance  in  most  non-Episcopal,  evangelical 
churches  of  our  day,  is  very  much  like  Columba's. 

Columba  lived  very  near  to  God,  especially  in  his  supplica- 
tions. He  not  only  offered  petitions  to  God  by  dav  and  by 
night,  but  all  new  undertakings  and  apprehended  dangers  sent 
him  at  once  to  the  mercy  seat.  Adamnan  mentions  a  number 
of  his  remarkable  appeals  to  the  Redeemer. 

On  a  certain  occasion,  when  the  holy  man  was  in  lona,  he  sud- 
denly said  to  his  servant,  "ring  the  bell."  The  brethren,  aroused 
by  its  sound,  ran  quickly  to  the  church,  their  chief  priest  going 
before  them,  to  whom  he  said  :  "  Let  us  earnestly  pray  to  the  Lord 
for  King  Aidan  and  this  people,  for  at  this  hour  they  are  engaged 
in  battle."  After  a  brief  interval,  he  left  the  house  of  prayer,  and 
looking  to  heaven  he  said,  "Now  the  barbarians  are  put  to  flight 
and  Aidan  has  secured  the  victory.'^ 

1  Adainnani  "  A  it.  Colum.,"  Lib.  III.,  cap.  21,  p.  767.    Migne. 

2  Ibid.,  Lib.  I.,  cap.  7. 


208         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

This  prayer  was  answered. 

At  another  time,  when  the  saint  was  at  sea  in  the  usual 
open  wicker  boat,  the  lives  of  those  on  board  were  in  great 
danger  from  the  wind  and  the  heavy  sea.  Columba,  during 
the  storm,  was  busy  helping  to  bale  out  the  coracle,  when : 

The  sailors!  said  to  the  saint,  assisting  them  to  empty  the  vessel, 
"Why  are  you  doing  this?  It  profits  little  to  remove  our  dangers; 
you  ought  rather  to  pray  lor  us  while  death  threatens  us."  When 
the  saint  heard  this  he  ceased  baling  out  the  salt  water  and  began  to 
pour  forth  precious  and  earnest  prayers  to  the  Lord,  and  wonderful 
to  relate,  at  the  moment  when  the  saint,  standing  on  the  prow  with 
hands  outstretched  toward  heaven,  prayed  to  the  Almighty,  the  en- 
tire tempest  in  the  air,  and  the  fury  of  the  sea,  appeased  by  a  word, 
quickly  ceased. 

A  Christian  peasant  and  wife  had  a  serious  misunderstand- 
ing, which  resulted  in  the  refusal  of  the  woman  to  live  with 
her  husband.  He  solicited  Columba's  assistance.  The  saint 
reasoned  with  her  like  a  loving  and  godly  father  ;  she  showed 
no  malice,  but  refused  to  yield  on  the  main  question.  Adam- 
nan  relates  the  conversation.  Never  were  wiser  scriptural 
counsels  given ;  but  Columba  seemed  to  fail.  At  last  he  said 
to  the  unhappy  couple  : 

Let  us'  three,  this  day,  that  is,  I  and  the  husband  and  wife,  fast 
and  pray  to  the  Lord  [for  a  reconciliation].  She  said,  "I  know  that 
it  will  not  be  impossible  to  you,  as  the  things  which  seem  difficult,  or 
even  impossible,  when  sought  from  God,  may  be  given."  On  the 
same  day  the  wife,  together  with  her  husband,  agreed  to  fast  with  the 
saint.  Columba  was  sleepless  the  night  following,  praying  earnestly 
for  them,  and  on  the  next  day  he  addressed  the  wife,  the  husband 
being  present,  and  said,  "Are  you  prepared,  O  woman,  to-day  to  en- 
ter a  monastery,  as  you  said  yesterday  "  ?  She  replied,  "  Now  I  have 
learned  that  God  has  heard  thy  prayer  for  me;  for  the  man  I  hated 
yesterday  I  love  to-day." 

The  prayers  of  Columba  brought  domestic  peace.  Once 
Broichan  threatened  to  raise  a  tempest  which  would  hinder 
Columba  from  sailing  upon  the  day  he  proposed ;  as  he  was 

1  Adamnani  "  Vit.  Colum.,"  Lib.  XL,  cap.  2. 
«  Ibid.,  cap.  28. 


209 

a  well-knowD  magician  and  Druid  the  saint,  determined  to 
trust  in  God  and  leave  port.  At  the  appointed  time  the 
heavens  became  dark  ;  a  contrary  tempestuous  gale  was  blow- 
ing, while  a  multitude  followed  the  saint  to  the  place  of  sailing. 

Our  Columba,  seeing  the  furious  elements  stirred  up  against  him, 
called  upon  Christ  the  Lord  [for  help],  and  while  the  sailors  showed 
timidity,  he  became  more  resolute  and  ordered  the  sail  to  be  raised. 
This  thing  was  done  while  the  throng  was  looking  on  ;  and  the  ves- 
sel, driven  in  the  teeth  of  the  gale,  ran  with  surprising  speed,  and 
after  a  brief  interval  the  contrary  winds  were  turned  back  so  as  to 
help  [Columba' s]  trip.i 

And  he  ended  his  brief  voyage  so  successfully  that  his 
safety  was  regarded  as  a  divine  miracle,  unexampled  in  the 
history  of  those  who  saw  it.  At  any  rate,  it  was  his  prayer 
to  Christ  that  fitted  an  inexperienced  man  like  himself  to 
guide  the  frail  coracle,  threatening  to  founder  every  moment, 
in  perfect  safety  when  old  sailors  hesitated  to  embark  until 
the  storm  abated. 

As  a  specimen  of  his  supplications  in  secret,  we  learn  from 
Adamnan  that  on  one  occasion,  when  he  desired  to  pray 
alone,  he  found  it  necessary  for  some  special  reason  to  warn 
the  brethren  not  to  follow  him.  His  wishes  were  respected 
by  all  but  one  of  them,  and  he  set  out  alone  as  he  desired  to 
a  retired  place ;  but  "  the  fraternal  spy,  heedless  of  the  abbot's 
request,  stole  along  another  way "  to  an  eminence  where  he 
could  see  him,  "  desirous  of  discovering  the  reason  for  the 
solitary  walk  of  the  blessed  man ;  when  he  beheld  him  he 
was  standing  and  praying  with  his  hands  spread  out  to  hea- 
ven, and  his  eyes  lifted  up  to  the  skies."  ^  Columba's  praying 
power  was  to  him  an  invinciple  weapon,  the  use  of  which 
overcame  all  enemies.  And  he  recognized  in  other  faithful 
Christians  the  possession  of  the  same  praying  power.  He 
was  exceedingly  anxious  at  one  time  to  be  taken  to  his  hea- 
venly home,  and  grieved  that  for  some  years  longer  he  must 
stay  on  earth ;  and  he  gave  as  a  reason  for  it,  the  prayers  of 

»  Adamnani  "  Vit.  Colum.,"  Lib.  II.,  cap.  22. 
«  Ibid.,  Lib.  III.,  cap.  26. 


210        ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

his  brethren.  He  says :  "  The  Lord  has  granted  to  the  pray- 
ers of  these  churches  against  my  wish,  that  from  this  day 
four  years  shall  be  added  to  my  life."  ^  In  all  this  Columba 
does  not  exaggerate  the  influence  with  God  of  faithful,  plead- 
ing Christians.  He  knew,  scarce  less  than  James,  that  the 
"supplication  of  a  righteous  man  availeth  much  in  its 
working." 

1  Adamnani  "  Vit.  Colum.,"  Lib.  111.,  cap.  31. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

INCIDENTS   OF   COLUMBA's   LIFE. 

Columba's  faith  in  Providence — Kindness  to  the  captured  robber — 
His  benedictions  in  view  of  death — His  last  message — His  death — 
The  funeral  rites— The  eulogy — Columba's  writings— Other  labor- 
ers in  Caledonia. 

In  prospect  of  meeting  a  great  ocean  monster  which  had 
created  terror  among  the  people  of  lona  as  it  raised  itself 
upon  the  surface  of  the  sea  near  their  island,  Baithen,  the 
successor  of  Columba,  who  had  much  of  his  spirit,  as  he  was 
about  to  sail  where  it  had  been  recently  seen,  said  to  Co- 
lumba, "  I  and  that  monster  fish  are  under  the  dominion  of 
God."  "  Go  in  peace,"  said  the  saint,  "  your  faith  in  Christ 
shall  protect  you  from  this  danger."  The  huge  whale  ap- 
peared to  Baithen  and  his  men,  but  speedily  plunged  under 
the  waves  and  never  was  seen  again.^ 

When  Broichan  threatened  the  great  tempest  to  which  we 
have  already  referred,  which  was  intended  to  hinder  Columba 
from  sailing  on  a  particular  day,  his  answer  to  the  magi- 
cian was,  "  The  omnipotence  of  God  rules  all  things ;  he  is 
the  Governor  by  whose  authority  our  entire  movements  are 
controlled."^  The  saint,  trusting  in  him  whose  sceptre  of 
love  exercises  dominion  over  everything  mighty  and  minute 
in  his  universe  of  worlds,  went  to  sea  with  confidence  and 
completed  his  little  voyage  without  injury.  Such  reliance  as 
this  upon  the  universal  earthly  government  of  God  fitted 
him  to  meet  any  danger,  and  to  attempt  undertakings  sur- 
rounded by  the  greatest  difficulties.  Benevolence  was  one  of 
the  several  remarkable  features  in  Columba's  character. 
Once  a  robber  was  waiting  an  opportunity  to  steal  from  the 

1  Adamnani  "  Vit.  Colum.."  Lib.  I.,  cap.  12.  *  Ibid.,  Lib.  II.,  cap.  22. 

211 


212         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

saint.  He  had  him  seized  and  brought  before  bini.  On  see- 
ing him,  the  saint  said  to  him,  "  Why  do  you  so  frequently 
steal  the  property  of  others,  breaking  the  divine  command- 
ment? Come  to  me  when  you  are  in  need,  and  you  shall 
have  the  necessary  things  which  you  ask."  ^  He  also  sent 
other  gifts  a  little  later,  because  he  noticed  that  disease 
threatened  the  criminal's  life.  Kindness  like  this  to  a  robber 
is  the  last  thing  seen  on  earth.  It  was  evidently  compassion 
on  the  part  of  Columba ;  and  yet  it  was  an  argument  for  the 
divine  origin  of  Columba's  Christianity  that  could  not  be 
refuted. 

Before  Columba's  death  he  was  carried  in  a  vehicle  to  visit 
the  brethren  laboring  in  the  western  part  of  the  island,  and 
as  he  sat  in  the  carriage"'^  he  turned  his  face  to  the  east  and 
blessed  the  island  with  its  inhabitants  and  the  brethren  in 
the  collesre.  At  another  time  he  visited  the  barn^  with 
Diarmad,  and  when  he  saw  two  heaps  of  corn,  he  praised  God 
and  gave  him  thanks,  and  said,  "  I  warmly  congratulate  my 
dear  monks,  if  indeed  I  shall  leave  you,  you  shall  have  a 
year's  supply." 

Then  he  ascended  an  eminence  overlooking  the  institute, 
and  stretching  out  both  hands  he  blessed  it,  saying,  "  Upon 
this  place,  although  small  and  mean,  not  only  the  kings  of 
the  Scots  with  their  people,  but  the  rulers  of  barbarous  and 
foreign  nations  with  their  subjects,  shall  confer  great  honor. 
Saints  also  of  other  churches  shall  greatly  venerate  it."  *  It 
is  reasonably  certain  that  while  Columba  was  blessing  his 
college,  that  is  praying  to  God  to  pour  out  his  mercies  and 
grace  upon  it,  Aidan  and  the  other  missionaries  who  were  in- 
strumental in  the  conversion  of  many  of  the  Anglo-Saxons 
were  in  it,  and  shared  in  this  blessing.  And  the  prediction 
of  the  patriarchal  missionary  was  strikingly  confirmed. 

After  this  he  descended  to  the  hut  which  was  probably  his 
own  special  dwelling,  and  proceeded  with  a  psalter,  a  copy  of 

1  Adamnan's  "  Vit.  Colum.,"  Lib.  I.,  cap.  20. 

«  Ibid.,  Lib.  III.,  cap.  27.  »  Ibid.,  cap.  28,      ■»  Ibid.,  cap.  28. 


INCIDENTS   OF   COLUMBA^S   LIFE.  213 

which  he  was  making,  until  he  came  to  the  end  of  a  page ; 
he  had  sought  a  blessing  upon  the  island  and  its  inhabitants ; 
upon  the  heaps  of  corn  in  the  barn ;  and  now  he  bids  farewell 
to  Scripture  copying.  After  finishing  the  page  of  the  psalter, 
he  went  to  church  to  the  evening  service  of  the  Lord's  Day. 
After  his  return,  through  Diarmad,  his  attendant,  he  sent  a 
message  to  the  brethren : 

My  1  little  children,  I  commend  to  you  as  my  last  words,  that  you 
have  mutual  and  unfeigned  love  among  yourselves;  and  if  you  will 
follow  the  example  of  the  saints,  God,  the  strength  of  the  good,  will 
help  you,  and  I,  abiding  with  him,  will  intercede  for  you;  and  not 
only  shall  the  necessaries  of  this  life  be  granted  you  by  him,  but  the 
reward  of  eternal  blessing  prepared  for  those  who  keep  the  divine 
precepts,  shall  be  given  to  you. 

It  was  not  imagined  in  lona  that  any  one  was  to  pray  to 
him  instead  of  Christ  as  an  intercessor.  Adamnan  never 
states  that  any  one  ever  prayed  to  him  or  to  other  men, 
though  he  wrote  about  ninety  years  after  Columba's  death. 
Columba,  it  is  supposed,  simply  meant,  that  if  he  was  per- 
mitted, he  would  commend  their  situation  to  God ;  his  inter- 
cession to  refer  solely  to  his  knowledge  of  their  state  when 
he  left  the  earth. 

When  the  bell  was  rung  at  midnight,  he  hastened  to  the 
church,  and  going  quicker  than  the  others,  he  entered  alone 
and  kneeled  in  prayer  near  the  altar.  Diarmad  followed 
him  slowly,  but  could  not  see  him  in  the  darkness,  and  cried 
out,  "Where  art  thou,  father?"  He  discovered  the  saint 
lying  before  the  altar ;  sitting  near  him  and  raising  him  a 
little,  he  placed  his  head  on  his  breast ;  meanwhile,  the  con- 
gregation of  monks  with  lamps,  came  to  him  and  began  to 
lament  their  father,  who  appeared  to  be  dying.  Soon  after 
he  breathed  his  last.  The  whole  church  was  filled  with  sor- 
rowful lamentations. 

After  the  death  of  the  saint,  when  the  morning  hymns 
were  ended,  the  sacred  body  was  carried  from  the  church  to 


Adamnani  "  Vit.  Colum,,"  Lib.  III.,  29. 


214         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

the  house,  accompanied  by  the  chanting  of  psalms  by  the 
brethren.  The  last  rites  were  completed  with  honor  dur- 
ing three  days  and  nights.  "The  venerable  body  of  our 
holy  and  blessed  patron,  wrapped  in  pure,  fine  linen,  was 
placed  in  a  coffin  prepared  for  it,  and  buried  with  due  rever- 
ence, to  rise  in  luminous  and  unfading  glory  at  the  resurrec- 
tion." 

Such  was  the  end  of  the  life  of  our  distinguished  patron,  who  ac- 
cording to  the  Scriptures,  is  now  a  companion  to  the  fathers  in 
eternal  triumphs,  and  has  become  united  to  apostles  and  prophets, 
and  to  the  thousands  clothed  in  white,  who  have  washed  their  robes 
in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb  and  follow  him  whithersoever  he  goeth. 
Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  himself  has  granted  this  grace,  to  whom,  with 
the  Father  in  the  unity  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  be  honor,  power,  praise, 
glory,  and  dominion,  forever  and  ever.^ 

Columba  died  June  9th,  a.  d.  597. 

Though  placed  on  earth,  he  was  fitted  for  the  morals  of  heaven. 
He  was  angelic  in  aspect,  brilliant  in  speech,  holy  in  deed,  lofty  in 
genius,  and  great  in  counsel.  No  part  of  an  hour  could  pass  in  which 
he  was  not  earnestly  engaged  in  prayer,  reading,  writing,  or  in  some 
other  work.'' 

His  extraordinary  piety,  talents,  and  usefulness,  accompanied  with 
a  perpetual  serenity  of  mind,  cheerfulness  of  countenance,  simplicity 
of  manners,  and  benevolence  of  heart,  have  deservedly  raised  him  to 
the  first  rank  of  saints.^ 

We  are  not  surprised  that  the  mourners  at  his  death  spoke 
of  him  as  "  the  pillar  of  many  churches."  Nor  is  it  remark- 
able that  a  man  of  such  piety  had  a  hope  of  heaven  so 
unclouded,  that,  for  at  least  four  years  before  his  death,  he 
desired  earnestly  to  lay  aside  bodily  infirmities  and  his 
weighty  official  burdens,  and  go  to  his  beloved  Redeemer. 
His  instructions  and  example  survived  in  his  island  home 
and  elsewhere  in  Caledonia  centuries  after  his  death  ;  and  his 
name  and  chief  missionary  college  were  regarded  with  the 
greatest   reverence.     As   the   learned   Pinkerton  justly   ob- 

1  Adamnani  "  Vit.  Colum.,"  Lib.  III.,  cap.  31,  33,  34. 

2  Ibid.,  Lib.  I.,  cap.  1 

»  Smith'B  "  Life  of  St.  Columba,"  p.  165.     Glasgow. 


INCIDENTS   OF   COLUMBA's    LIFE.  215 

serves,  "  lona  was  the  Rome  of  Scotland  until  the  end  of  the 
ninth  century."^ 

It  would  interest  many  to  see  all  the  literary  works  of 
Columba.  From  Bede  we  know  that.  "Some  writings  were 
preserved  of  his  life,  and  discourses  by  his  disciples " ;  of 
these  a  portion  was  penned  by  himself  From  the  "  Life  of 
Columba,"  in  Colgan's  Trias  Thaumaturga  we  learn  that 
there  were  "  A  great  many  of  Columba's  own  writings,  fall 
of  piety  and  devotion,  some  in  prose,  but  mostly  in  Latin  or 
Irish  verse."  Of  Columba's  Latin  poems.  Dr.  Smith  pub- 
lishes translations  of  three :  "  One  composed  during  a  thun- 
der-storm," at  Durrow ;  another,  "  On  the  Creation,  Fall  of 
Angels,  and  Final  Judgment "  ;  the  third  is  addressed  to  the 
Redeemer.  The^  following  stanzas  are  from  the  translation  of 
the  third  poem  : 

Thy  glory  shines  above  the  skies, 

"Where  thou  art  God  and  King ; 
And  to  the  New  Jerusalem 

Thy  people  thou  wilt  bring. 

As  thou  didst  suffer  on  the  cross 

To  save  a  guilty  race, 
Show  me  thy  power,  with  thy  love, 

And  glory  grant,  with  grace. 

Protect  us,  O  thou  God  most  high, 

Until  we  reach  the  place. 
Where  endless  anthems  we  shall  sing 

Around  thy  throne  of  grace. 

lona  was  plundered  and  burned  several  times  bythe  "  Danes," 
and  in  a.  d.  805,  sixty-eight  of  the  brethren  were  slain  by 
the  ''  pirates."  The  "  Northmen  "  were  almost  as  eager  to 
burn  the  Scriptures  and  the  religious  books  of  the  monas- 
tic missions  as  they  were  to  rob  and  murder.  The  Scandi- 
navian pirates  destroyed  invaluable  literary  treasures  in 
Caledonia,  and  among  them,  most  of  the  writings  of  Co- 
lumba. 


1  Cited  in  Smith's  "  Life  of  St.  Columba,"  p.  145.    Glasgow. 

2  Ibid.,  pp.  174, 175. 


216         ANCIENT   BRITISH    AND    IRISH    CHURCHES. 

Independent  missionaries,  contemporaries  of  Columba,  la- 
bored in  Caledonia ;  one  of  them,  named  Kenneth,  or  Cain- 
nechus,  gave  his  name  to  Inch-Kenneth,  in  Mull ;  to  Kenno- 
way,  in  Fifeshire,  and  to  other  places  in  Scotland,  as  well  as 
to  localities  in  Ireland.  He  was  an  Irishman  by  birth,  but  a 
successful  laborer  in  Alba. 

Ciaran,  of  Clonmacnois,  a  special  friend  of  Columba  long 
before  he  came  to  Alba,  labored  in  that  country  for  a  con- 
siderable period  with  encouraging  results.  He  gave  Camp- 
beltown, in  Kintyre,  its  Gaelic  name  of  Kilkerran,  Ciaran's 
Church.  Kilkerran,  in  Ayrshire,  took  its  name  from  him,  and 
other  places  in  Scotland. 

Colum  of  Eala  (pronounced  Colmonell),  has  left  his  name 
to  Kilcalmonell,  in  Kintyre,  and  to  the  parish  of  Colmonell, 
in  Ayrshire. 

Donnan  preached  in  Scotland  in  Columba's  day.  The 
country  of  Sutherland  has  the  parish  of  Kildonan,  or  Don- 
nan's  Church ;  and  in  the  island  of  Eigg  the  parish  church 
is  still  called  Kildonan. 

Molaise,  another  missionary,  left  the  name  of  Lamlash,  in 
Arran,  a  corruption  of  the  words  Eilean  Molaise,  or  Molaise's 
Island.  "  Molaise  was  one  of  that  famous  band  which,  at  an 
early  period,  laid  the  foundations  of  the  Scottish  church, 
and  who  were  of  kindred  sentiments  with  the  great  mission- 
ary of  lona."  * 

1  ••  The  Early  Scottish  Church,"  M'Lauchlan,  p.  205.    Edinburgh. 


FOLDOUT 
HERE 


BOOK  IV. 

THE  MISSION  OF  THE  SCOTS  TO  THE  ANGLO- 
SAXONS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

PROTESTANTISM    IN    GREAT    BRITAIN   AND   IRELAND,   FROM 
THE   BEGINNING   OF   THE   SEVENTH   CENTURY. 

Pagan  temples  built  by  Anglo-Saxons — Adoption  of  heathen  customs 
by  the  Romanists— Apostasy  among  their  converts  in  Northumbria, 
among  the  East  Saxons,  and  in  Kent— Northumbria  accepts  the 
gospel  of  Paulinus. 

The  missionaries  came  from  lona  in  Scotland,  where  Col- 
umba  established  his  great  educational  and  evangelizing 
institution  in  A.  D.  565.  Its  founder  and  his  brethren  were 
Hibernians,  descendants  of  the  converts  of  St.  Patrick,  the 
Briton;  and  their  successors  for  ages  were  chiefly  Irish 
Scots. 

The  Anglo-Saxons,  after  wide-spread  slaughter,  the  destruc- 
tion of  churches  and  Christians  of  every  vestige  of  civiliza- 
tion, and  of  every  trace  of  the  true  religion  in  their  portion 
of  Britain,  reared  temples  to  their  ferocious  deities  all  over 
the  fruitful  country  where  pious  Britons  for  centuries  had 
sung  hallelujahs.  The  Scots  of  Ireland,  inspired  by  the  com- 
mission of  their  risen  Lord,  left  their  native  land  to  bring  the 
Northern  Picts  to  the  Saviour ;  and  after  nearly  seventy  years 
of  incessant  toil,  self-denial,  and  prayers,  the  pagans  of  Scot- 
land, having  been  converted  to  Christ,  they  were  free  to  seek 
new  heathen  fields  for  their  loving  labors.  As  their  first 
missionary  efforts  in  England  were  undertaken  to  recover 
from  apostasy  converts  of  the  pope's  Italian  mission  it  is 
T  217 


218         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND    IRISH    CHURCHES. 

necessary  to  give  a  brief  account  of  the  labors  of  these  for- 
eign preachers. 

In  A.  D.  596,  Augustine  and  some  forty  monks,  it  is  said, 
came  to  England  by  command  of  Gregory  I.,  Pope  of  Rome, 
to  evangelize  the  pagans  in  Ethelbert's  kingdom  of  Kent. 
The  way  had  been  opened  for  them  by  Bertha,  the  Christian 
wife  of  Ethelbert,  and  her  godly  French  chaplain.  Bishop 
Luidhard.  The  Romanist  Lingard,  truly  describing  the  sit- 
uation, writes : 

From  the  epistles  of  Pope  Gregory  it  appears  that  these  and  similar 
causes  had  awakened  a  desire  for  religious  knowledge  among  the  in- 
habitants of  Kent,  and  that  application  for  instruction  had  been  made 
to  the  prelates  of  the  Franks,  whose  apathy  and  indolence  are  lashed 
by  the  severe  but  merited  animadversions  of  the  pontiff.  It  w^as  at 
this  favorable  period  that  Augustine  reached  the  isle  of  Thanet,  and 
sent  a  messenger  to  inform  Ethelbert  that  he  had  arrived  from  a  dis- 
tant country  to  open  to  him  and  his  subjects  the  gates  of  eternal 
happiness.  1 

In  the  course  of  a  short  period  Ethelbert  and  ten  thousand 
of  his  subjects  were  baptized  in  the  Swale  near  Canterbury.'' 

Augustine,  Mellitus,  Justus,  Laurentius,  and  Paulinus,  the 
prominent  members  of  the  mission,  were  men  of  feeble  ability 
and  of  poor  courage.  They  were  so  alarmed  by  the  appre- 
hended dangers  of  the  mission  when  they  were  in  France,  on 
their  journey  to  Britain,  that  the  whole  party  sought  a  release 
from  Gregory  from  such  a  dangerous  enterprise.  Mellitus 
and  Justus  fled  from  their  flocks  when  they  apostatized,  and 
Paulinus  when  alarmed  for  his  safety  and  Laurentius  had 
planned  to  fly  to  France.  These  men  were  deficient  in  talent 
and  in  general  fitness  for  the  conversion  of  the  Anglo-Saxons ; 
and  while  their  success  was  limited  in  the  kingdoms  of  the 
Heptarchy,  and  especially  in  bringing  regenerated  persons 
into  the  church ;  and  while  admitting  that  they  were  good 
men  we  must  look,  in  a  considerable  measure,  for  their  suc- 
cess such  as  it  was,  to  Gregory's  guidance,  and  to  the  favor  to- 


1  "  Antiquities  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  Church,"  p.  23.    Philada. 

3  "  Vita  Sanct.  August.  Patrl.  Lat.,"  Tom,  LXXX.,  pp.  79,  80.    Migne. 


bye  r^fvUiutcirJl  ^^Vaxnrcuid^  tiv^u 
pAjc"  1A^VC  N^.^o:]  veWvtn  r»  mvn  co 

rxr\l  TiAxtly^  no  bifqf  9j^*;:nrrutv» 
Ue<^-i  cbfuc  joiTb  rj  n  I  Sv^'o  p^iiiiil 
)V<\^'Coiq;3  i^vu  <W5niob({cr|*«i5t\5 

in>itil'tTvayg-|vot^e^.§  ^U1  Cx^ 


^m .  ^  C,  f  T^^l^fe  irro\iblr'Jbn5' 
<^1M  xDnvbchiTrr|\ul4:^tJltr\{ii^ 

ciiT^i  u  CO  b|i4zJi .  ^  m  |ii  (wj^lcv' 

tvto  pidl  -ptuum  f  oWjrj.  7i  ucCb 
ib  tvrbTliu^-oib  jiuf\tpom^xt- 

ehait)  1^51411  i^l^^ws-^tnbn 


Fac  simile  of  a  page  of  "Tlie  Tripartite  Life  of  St.  Patrick"  (Eleventh  Century). 
From  "  Tlie  Triparite  Life"  piil)li.shed  bj'  the  "Lords  Commissioner.^." 


PROTESTANTISM   IN   GREAT   BRITAIN.  219 

ward  the  gospel  created  by  Providence  in  the  hearts  of  the 
leading  persons  in  Kent,  and  in  Sabert,  the  nephew  of  Ethel- 
bert,  king  of  the  East  Saxons. 

In  one  direction  Gregory  inflicted  a  great  evil  upon 
the  infant  Anglo-Saxon  Church.  The  pagans  were  accus- 
tomed "  to  slaughter  many  oxen  in  sacrifices  to  devils,"  and 
feast  upon  parts  of  them  around  their  temples.  As  these 
structures,  after  purification,  became  churches,  Gregory 
thought  that  there  ought  to  be  some  solid  festivities  around 
them  still ;  so  he  ordered  that  upon  the  day  of  the  dedication 
[to  Christian  uses]  of  the  temples,  or  upon  the  nativities  of 
the  holy  martyrs,  the  people  should  build  huts  of  boughs  of 
trees  around  the  old  temples,  now  called  churches,  and  that 
they  should  kill  and  eat  cattle,  and  return  thanks  to  the 
Giver  of  all  things  for  the  food.^  This  was  simply  a  heathen 
custom  disguised ;  and  there  is  reason  to  fear  that  other  idol- 
atrous practices  were  furnished  with  the  mask  of  Christianity 
by  the  pliant  preachers,  so  that  when  Ethelbert  and  Sabert 
died,  and  their  pagan  sons  succeeded  them,  their  people 
quickly  removed  the  mask  and  showed  that  they  were  pagans 
still,  by  restoring  idolatry. 

After  the  death  of  Edwin,  king  of  Northumbria,  who  was 
slain  in  a  battle  which  he  fought  with  Penda,  king  of  Mercia, 
and  Cadwallada,  king  of  the  Britons,  his  kingdom  was  rav- 
aged for  more  than  a  year  by  the  conquerors,  during  which, 
as  Lingard  says,  "  The  converts  [of  Northumbria],  deprived 
of  instruction  [their  bishop  having  fled  to  Kent],  easily 
relapsed  into  idolatry."  ^  Bede  complains  bitterly,  in  con- 
nection with  the  cruelties  to  the  converts  in  Northumbria 
after  the  battle  with  Edwin,  that,  "  It  is  the  custom  of  the 
Britons,  not  to  pay  any  respect  to  the  faith  and  religion  of 
the  English,  nor  to  correspond  with  them  any  more  than 
with  pagans."  ^     It  is  reasonable  to  suppose  that  the  Britons 

1  Bede's  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  I.,  cap.  30. 

8  "  Antiquities  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  Church,"  p.  26. 

'  Bede's  "  Eccles.  History,"  Lib.  II.,  cap.  20. 


220         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

were  well  acquainted  with  the  apostates  of  Kent,  and  of  the 
East  Saxons,  and  of  the  character  generally  of  the  Northum- 
brian "  New  Christians,"  as  well  as  of  the  heathen  practices, 
tolerated  by  the  missionaries,  though  somewhat  disguised ; 
and  it  is  difficult  to  see  how  intelligent  and  faithful  British 
Christians  could  recognize  the  English  converts  of  the  Ital- 
ian mission,  as  a  whole,  as  disciples  of  Christ. 

Northumbria,  the  missionary  field  of  the  illustrious  Aidan, 
the  first  and  greatest  missionary  of  the  Scots  to  the  Anglo- 
Saxons,  was  the  scene  of  the  labors  of  Paulinus,  the  papal 
apostle  of  that  kingdom.  He  entered  it  in  a.  d.  625.  He 
was  to  officiate  as  chaplain  to  Queen  Ethelberga,  and  seek 
assiduously  the  conversion  of  Edwin,  her  pagan  husband. 
After  many  efibrts  the  king  at  last  consented  to  call  a  national 
council  to  discuss  the  propriety  of  the  whole  nation  adopting 
Christianity.  When  it  convened,  he  solicited  an  expression 
of  opinion  upon  the  business  for  which  they  had  been  called. 

The  Chief  Priest  Coifi  answered,  "  O  king,  consider  what  this  is 
which  is  now  preached  to  us;  for  I  verily  declare  to  you,  that  the 
religion  which  we  have  hitherto  professed,  has,  as  far  as  I  can  learn, 
no  virtue  in  it.  For  none  of  your  people  has  applied  himself  more 
diligently  to  the  worship  of  our  gods  than  I ;  and  yet  there  are  many 
who  receive  greater  favors  from  you,  and  are  more  preferred  than  I. 
Now,  if  the  gods  were  good  for  anything,  they  would  rather  forward 
me,  who  have  been  more  careful  to  serve  them." 

One  of  the  king's  thanes  said : 

"The  present  life  of  man,  0  king,  seems  to  me,  in  comparison  with 
that  time  which  is  unknown  to  us,  like  the  swift  flight  of  a  sparrow 
through  the  room  in  which  you  sit  at  supper  in  the  winter,  with  your 
commanders  and  ministers,  and  a  good  fire  in  the  midst,  while  the 
storms  of  rain  and  snow  prevail  abroad  ;  the  sparrow,  I  say,  flying  in 
at  one  door,  and  immediately  out  at  another;  whilst  it  is  within  it  is 
safe  from  the  wintry  storm,  but  after  a  short  space  of  fair  weather  it 
immediately  vanishes  out  of  your  sight.  So  this  life  appears  for 
a  short  space,  but  of  what  went  before,  or  of  what  is  to  follow  we  are 
utterly  ignorant." 

At  Coifi's  request  Paulinus  addressed  the  eoimci],  after  which 
he  strongly  commended  the  religion  of  Paulinus,  and  pro- 


PROTESTANTISM   IN   GREAT   BRITAIN.  221 

posed  to  burn  the  temples  and  altars  of  the  gods.  And  soon 
after,  upon  a  royal  horse,  he  went  to  the  temple  and  profaned 
it,  to  the  horror  of  the  multitudes,  and  then  by  his  order  the 
temple  was  destroyed  by  fire. 

"  King  Edwin,  with  all  the  nobility  and  a  large  number  of 
the  common  people,  received  the  faith,  and  was  baptized." 
Bede  tells  us  that  the  baptism  occurred  at  York,^  in  a.  d. 
627. 

Paulinus  had  several  large  baptisms  after  that  in  North- 
umbria.  The  writer  visited  a  spring  in  Northumberland, 
England,  on  the  crest  of  a  small  hill,  two  miles  from  Har- 
bottle,  and  eleven  from  Alnwick  Castle,  the  well-known  resi- 
dence of  the  duke  of  Northumberland ;  the  basin  of  the 
fountain  was  thirty-four  feet  long  by  twenty  feet  wide.  In  it 
was  a  large  granite  cross,  bearing  upon  one  side  the  inscription, 
"  In  this  place  Paulinus,  the  bishop,  baptized  three  thousand 
IM  orthumbrians,  Easter,  A.  D.  627."  This  baptism  was  an 
immersion.  But  unfortunately  these  baptisms  generally  were 
the  result  of  a  decision  of  the  Witenagemot,  or  national  coun- 
cil of  Northumbria,  rather  than  the  action  of  the  Spirit  of  God 
in  "  opening  their  eyes  and  turning  them  from  darkness  to 
light "  ;  and  hence  when  Edwin  was  killed,  as  Lingard  says, 
"  The  converts  easily  relapsed  into  their  former  idolatry." 
Had  the  people  been  truly  converted,  like  Holy  Alban,  the 
Briton,  only  a  few  days  a  believer,  before  he  became  a  tri- 
umphant martyr,  they  would  have  suffered  anything  rather 
than  have  apostatized,  even  though  but  recent  converts. 

1  Bede'8  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  II.,  cap.  13, 14. 


CHAPTER  II. 

KING   OSWALD   CONVERTED. 

Aidan  the  true  apostle  of  Northumbria  begins  his  ministry  there — 
King  Oswald  interprets  his  sermons— Vast  numbers  believe—"  The 
holiest  spot  in  Britain" — Many  Scottish  preachers  join  Aidan — 
The  Bible  is  his  supreme  authority— He  gives  a  fine  horse  to  a  beggar 
—Oswald's  victory  over  Cadwalla— He  cuts  a  silver  dish  in  pieces  for 
the  poor — Gospel  triumphs. 

In  a.  d.  635,  Oswald  became  king  of  Northumbria.  He 
was  the  son  of  Ethelfrid,  the  pagan  king  of  Northumbria,  who 
slew  the  twelve  hundred  unarmed  monks  of  Bangor,  who 
were  praying  for  their  brethren  in  arms  whom  Ethelfrid  had 
marched  an  army  to  destroy.  Lingard  writes  that  "  Oswald 
and  Eanfrid,  the  sons  of  Ethelfrid,  the  predecessor  of  Edwin, 
in  the  mountains  of  Scotland,  had  concealed  themselves  from 
the  jealousy  of  that  prince;  and  had  spent  the  time  of  their 
exile  in  learning  from  the  monks  of  lona  the  principles  of 
the  gospel."  ^  That  the  sons  of  such  a  heathen  murderer  of 
so  many  saints  should  be  sent  to  receive  Christianity  from  the 
godliest  men  in  Europe  is  a  situation  with  few  parallels  in 
the  history  of  Christianity.  The  Spirit  of  God  took  Oswald 
to  the  island  of  lona,  and  made  him  the  most  saintly  sovereign 
that  ever  sat  upon  a  British  throne. 

As  soon  as  Oswald  grasped  the  scepter  of  Northumbria,  he 
felt  a  strong  desire  to  enthrone  Christ  in  the  hearts  of  all  his 
subjects.  In  A.  d.  635,  he  began  to  take  steps  to  secure  a 
suitable  preacher.  It  does  not  seem  to  have  occurred  to  him 
to  send  for  Paulinus,  the  Italian  apostle  of  his  kingdom, 
though  he  was  living  then  and  for  years  afterward  at 
Rochester,  in  Kent.  He  had  heard  of  his  great  baptisms, 
and  he  saw  his  people  given  over  to  idolatry,  though  perhaps 

1  "  Antiquities  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  Church."  p.  26.    Philadelphia. 
222 


KING  OSWALD  CONVERTED.  223 

all  were  baptized,  and  he  wanted  most  earnestly  Scottish 
missionaries  for  himself  and  his  subjects.  He  sent  to  lona 
for  a  bishop,  by  whose  instructions  and  ministry  his  people 
might  put  their  trust  in  the  Saviour.  The  first  preacher 
lacked  prudence  and  gentleness,  but  Aidan,  who  soon  fol- 
lowed him,  was  eminently  qualified  for  extensive  usefulness 
among  all  classes.  When  Aidan  preached,  which  was  very 
often,  the  king  accompanied  him  as  interpreter.  The  am- 
bassador of  Christ  and  the  royal  interpreter  had  immense 
congregations  to  hear  and  receive  the  word,  and  among  them, 
as  Bede  states,  were  the  "  ministers  and  commanders."  The 
usefulness  of  these  two  heralds  of  the  cross  was  such  that 
believers  were  soon  multiplied  beyond  calculation. 

Upon  the  arrival  of  Aidan,  King  Oswald  appointed  his 
episcopal  see  in  Lindisfarne,  at  his  own  request.  Paulinus, 
his  predecessor,  was  made  bishop  of  York,  a  bishopric  cover- 
ing the  same  territory  as  Aidan's,  in  accordance  with  direc- 
tions given  to  Augustine  by  Pope  Gregory  ;  but  Aidan  was  a 
true  Protestant,  and  paid  no  attention  to  papal  requirements. 
Lindisfarne  was  an  island  upon  which  a  monastic  school  was 
immediately  built ;  and  it  became  the  home  of  Aidan  as  long 
as  he  lived.  Like  lona,  it  was  selected  chiefly  because  it  was 
away  from  the  busy  scenes  of  human  life,  where  its  occupants 
could  hold  communion  with  God  without  interruption. 
The  little  island  was  the  birthplace  of  the  churches  of 
Northumbria.  Alcuin,  the  celebrated  Northumbrian  favorite 
of  Charlemagne,  writing  of  the  monastery  of  Lindisfarne, 
speaks  of  it,  "  as  the  holiest  spot  in  Britain,"^  although  the 
first  church  of  the  Anglo-Saxons,  and  the  remains  of  their 
Romish  apostle  Augustine  were  still  in  Kent.  In  addition  to 
Lindisfarne,  Aidan,  at  an  early  day,  established  a  monastic 
mission  school  at  Melrose,  anciently  called  Mailros. 

Aidan  was  habitually  a  man  of  prayer.  During  the  siege 
of  the  Royal  City  [Bambrough]  of  the  Northumbrians,  by 
Penda,  king  of  Mercia,  when  he  had  surrounded  it  to  a  great 

1  Malmesbury's  "  Chronicle,"  Vol.  I.,  cap.  3. 


224         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AXD    IRISH   CHURCHES. 

height  by  combustible  materials  and  set  them  ou  fire,  design- 
ing to  destroy  the  city  and  its  people,  Aidan  was  in  the  isle 
of  Fame,  two  miles  distant,  where  "  he  was  accustomed  to 
retire  to  pray  in  private,  that  he  might  be  undisturbed  ;"^  and 
when  he  saw  the  flames  and  the  smoke  above  the  city  walls, 
with  eyes  and  hands  lifted  up  to  heaven,  he  cried  to  God  for 
deliverance  for  the  city ;  and  the  wind  immediately  changed 
and  blew  the  flames  upon  those  who  kindled  them,  which 
created  such  alarm  that  the  siege  was  abandoned.  In  State 
and  Church,  Aidan's  faith  and  prayers  gave  strength  and 
prosperity  to  North umbria. 

Oswald  listened  to  the  appeals  of  Aidan,  and  applied  him- 
self industriously  to  build  up  and  extend  the  Saviour's  king- 
dom in  Northumbria.  "  Many  Scots  came  daily  into  Britain, 
and  with  great  devotion  preached  the  word  in  King  Oswald's 
provinces."  Churches  were  built,  money  and  lands  were  do- 
nated for  monastic  schools,  and  the  people  showed  great  interest 
in  all  departments  of  church  work.  Aidan's  faith  and  practice 
were  built  exclusively  upon  the  inspired  writings.  Speaking  of 
the  lona  ministers,  Bede  says :  "  They  only  practised  such  works 
of  piety  and  chastity  as  they  could  learn  from  the  propheti- 
cal, evangelical,  and  apostolical  writings  ;" '  and  of  Aidan  and 
his  companions  in  service,  he  says,  "  They  ^  were  employed  in 
meditation,  that  is,  either  in  reading  the  Scriptures  or  learning 
psalms.  This  was  the  daily  occupation  of  himself  and  of  all 
that  were  with  him  whersoever  they  went."  And  when  Aidan 
and  his  fellow  Scots,  by  preaching  the  word  of  the  Lord,  un- 
sheathed this  "  sword  of  the  Spirit,"  the  great  Comforter  seized 
it  with  almighty  energy,  and  gave  it  constant  employment 
until  Oswald's  kingdom  was  the  Saviour's. 

Bede  says :  "  The  object  which  Aidan  had  in  view  in  all 
that  he  said,  did,  or  preached,  was  the  same  as  ours,  that  is, 
the  redemption  of  mankind  through  the  sufferings,  resurrec- 
tion, and  ascension  into  heaven  of  the  man  Jesus  Christ,  who 

iBede's  "Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  III.,  cap.  16. 

'  Ibid.,  cap.  4.  3  Ibid.,  cap.  5. 


KING   OSWALD   CONVERTED.  225 

is  the  mediator  between  God  and  man."  ^  This  was  the  doc- 
trine which  produced  the  Reformation  of  the  sixteenth  cen- 
tury. 

Such  were  the  teachings  of  holy  Aidan — a  perfect  salvation 
at  once,  by  trusting  the  slain  Lamb  of  Calvary,  the  ever 
prevailing  intercessor  for  all  believers.  Aidan's  doctrines 
moved  Northumbria  like  a  moral  earthquake.  The  mission- 
ary would  give  anything  to  the  poor.  It  was  his  custom  tu 
journey  on  foot,  even  when  he  had  to  travel  long  distances  ;  to 
aid  him  in  his  ministry.  King  Oswin  gave  him  a  fine  horse  to 
be  especially  useful  in  crossing  rivers,  or  on  occasions  when  haste 
was  needful.  Some  time  after,  a  poor  man  on  the  road  solic- 
ited alms,  and  Aidan  immediately  dismounted  and  gave  the 
horse  with  his  "  royal  furniture  "  to  the  beggar,  "  for  he  was 
very  compassionate,  a  great  friend  of  the  poor,  and,  as  it  were, 
the  father  of  the  wretched."  The  king  heard  of  it,  and  as 
Aidan  some  time  after  was  going  into  dinner  with  him,  he 
asked  him  why  he  had  given  away  to  the  poor  man  that 
"  royal  horse,"  when  he  had  inferior  horses  which  would  have 
been  good  enough  for  him  ?  To  which  he  immediately  an- 
swered, "  What  is  it  you  say,  O  king  ?  Is  that  foal  of  a  mare 
dearer  to  you  than  a  son  of  God  ?  " 

Aidan's  present  to  the  beggar,  under  ordinary  circumstances 
in  our  day,  looks  very  foolish  ;  but  he  preferred  walking  to 
have  the  opportunity  to  present  Christ  in  conversations  with 
travelers.  He  knew  well  that  the  mendicant's  unexpected 
horse,  like  similar  donations  which  he  had  bestowed  before, 
would  open  more  widely  the  ears  of  Northumbrians  to  his 
message  of  love  from  the  precious  Redeemer. 

"Aidan  was  accustomed  to  traverse  both  town  and  country  on  foot, 
never  on  horseback,  unless  compelled  by  some  urgent  necessity;  and 
whenever  in  his  way  he  saw  any,  either  rich  or  poor,  he  invited 
them,  if  unbelievers,  to  embrace  the  mystery  of  the  faith  ;  or,  if  be- 
lievers [he  endeavored]  to  strengthen  them  in  faith,  and  to  stir  them 
up  by  words,  and  actions  to  alms  and  good  works.     He  never  gave 

» Bede'3  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  III.,  cap.  17. 


226         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

money  to  the  powerful  men  of  the  world,  but  only  food,  if  he  hap- 
pened to  entertain  them ;  and  the  gifts  which  he  received  from  the 
rich,  he  bestowed  in  ransoming  those  who  had  been  wrongfully  sold 
as  slaves  ;  many  of  whom  he  afterward  instructed  and  advanced  to 
the  priesthood."  ^ 

Aidan  was  an  itinerant  preacher ;  speaking  of  a  locality 
where  there  was  a  church  with  a  chamber  connected  with  it, 
Bede  says  :  "  Aidan  was  accustomed  to  go  and  stay  there,  and 
to  make  excursions  to  preach  in  the  country  round  about, 
which  he  likewise  did  at  other  places."  In  this  way  the  inde- 
fatigable minister  was  all  the  time  moving  over  his  great 
field,  preaching  continually  to  thousands,  or  to  individuals, 
and  ever  laboring  to  appear  as  a  man  approved  of  God ; 
bearing  blessed  testimony  to  the  truth  of  the  gospel  in  earnest 
and  eloquent  words  : 

"  In  love  of  peace  and  charity,  in  a  mind  superior  to  anger  and  ava- 
rice, despising  pride  and  vain  glory,  in  industriously  keeping  and 
teaching  the  heavenly  commandments,  in  reproving  the  haughty 
and  powerful,  in  tenderly  comforting  the  afflicted  and  relieving  or 
defending  the  poor.  To  say  all  in  a  few  words — he  took  care  to  omit 
none  of  those  things  which  he  found  in  the  apostolical  or  prophetical 
writings,  but  to  the  utmost  of  his  power  endeavored  to  perform  them 
all." 

Such  is  the  testimony  of  Bede,  an  eighth  century  Romanist, 
based  upon  "  the  information  of  those  who  knew  Aidan  "  ; 
to  which  he  adds :  "  I  in  no  way  commend  or  approve  what 
Aidan  imperfectly  understood  in  relation  to  the  observance 
of  Easter  ;  nay  I  very  much  detest  the  same,  as  I  have  most 
manifestly  proved  in  a  book  I  have  written,  '  Be  Tempor- 
ihus:  " 

Oswald  was  a  courageous  soldier,  and  as  interpreter  to 
Aidan  he  rendered  valuable  services  in  the  conversion  of  his 
people.  He  had  great  faith  in  the  success  of  prayer.  When 
going  to  fight  Cadwalla,  a  victorious  and  troublesome  enemy 
of  the  Northumbrians,  before  the  battle  began,  he  erected  a 
cross,  and — 

1  Bede's  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  III.,  cap.  5.  «  Ibid.,  cap.  17. 


KING  OSWALD  CONVERTED.  227 

"  Kaising  his  voice  he  cried  to  his  army,  "Let  us  all  kneel  and 
jointly  beseech  the  true  and  living  God  Almighty,  in  his  mercy,  to 
defend  us  from  the  haughty  and  fierce  enemy,  for  he  knows  that  we 
have  undertaken  a  just  war  for  the  safety  of  our  nation."  All  did 
as  they  were  commanded,  and  advancing  accordingly  toward  the 
enemy  with  the  first  dawn  of  day,  they  obtained  the  victory  as  their 
faith  deserved."  ^ 

The  army  of  Oswald  was  small,  bat  praying  faith  made  it 
invincible.  This  victory  showed  the  heathen  of  Northum- 
bria  that  Jehovah  was  on  the  side  of  Christian  Oswald,  so 
that  from  "  this  time,"  as  Malmesbury  says,  "  The  worship  of 
idols  fell  prostrate  in  the  dust "  ; '  not  that  Christianity  had 
succeeded  paganism  yet,  but  its  votaries  had  lost  confidence 
in  their  gods.     Once — 

"On  Easter  day,  when  he  was  at  dinner  with  Bishop  Aidan,  and  a 
silver^  dish  was  set  before  him,  laden  with  royal  delicacies,  and  he 
was  on  the  point  of  putting  out  his  hand  to  bless  the  bread,  on  a 
sudden,  the  servant  came  in  to  whom  the  charge  of  ministering  to 
the  poor  was  committed,  and  told  the  king  there  was  a  multitude 
of  poor  people  approaching,  who  were  sitting  everywhere  about  the 
streets,  entreating  alms  from  the  king.  And  he  immediately  ordered 
the  food  that  was  set  before  him  to  be  carrii-d  down  to  tliem,  and  the 
dish  to  be  broken  into  small  pieces,  and  to  be  distributed  among  them. 
Aidan  was  delighted  at  this  act  of  royal  piety." 

Oswald's  liberality  to  the  cause  of  Christ  in  building 
churches,  his  help  to  Aidan  as  interpreter  of  his  sermons, 
his  extraordinary  consecration  to  Christ,  his  unbounded  influ- 
ence in  his  kingdom,  and  his  power  at  the  mercy  seat,  so  fre- 
quently employed  for  the  salvation  of  Northumbria.  made 
him,  next  to  Aidan,  the  chief  man  in  bringing  his  kingdom  to 
Christ. 

1  Bede's  "Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  TIL,  cap.  2. 

2  William  of  Malmesbury's  "  Chronicle,"  Vol.  I.,  cap.  3. 

3  Matthew  of  Westminster,  "  Flowers  of  History,"  at  a.  d.  644. 


CHAPTER  III. 

HIBERNIAN   MISSION   SCHOOLS   AMONG   THE    ANGLO-SAXONS. 

Melrose  founded  by  Aidan — Cuthbert— Popularity  of  the  monastic 
mission  preachers— Whitby  Abbey  under  Hilda— Hilda  as  a  mis- 
sionary, college  president,  and  theologian — Caedmon,  the  Protest- 
ant, the  first  eminent  Anglo-Saxon  poet. 

The  monasteries  of  Patrick's  spiritual  offspring  among  the 
Anglo-Saxons,  were  designed,  like  all  these  monasteries  else- 
where, as  great  missionary  schools,  to  train  ministers,  bring 
the  young  under  godly  influences,  and  to  expound  the  Script- 
ures every  day.  "  Famous  monasteries,"  says  Ussher,  "  were 
planted  in  England  by  Aidan,  Finan,  and  Colman,  unto 
which  the  people  flocked  apace  on  the  Lord's  Day,  not  for 
the  feeding  of  their  bodies,  but  for  learning  the  word  of  God."  ^ 
The  monastery  of  Lindisfarne  was  founded  by  Aidan,  the 
pioneer  missionary.  It  was  constructed  after  the  manner  of 
the  Scots,  not  of  stone,  but  of  hewn  oak,  covered  with  reeds. 
It  had  no  more  houses  than  were  necessary  for  its  occupants 
and  their  schools,  besides  the  church.  The  inmates  had  no 
money,  but  they  had  cattle.  They  had  no  need  for  riches,  or 
houses  to  entertain  the  great,  for  these  only  came  to  the 
church  to  pray  and  to  hear  the  word  of  God,  and  if  they  re- 
mained to  take  a  repast  they  were  satisfied  with  the  ordinary 
food  of  the  brethren.  From  Lindisfarne  went  forth  numbers 
of  Scots,  who  came  to  assist  Aidan,  as  well  as  converted  and 
trained  Anglo-Saxons,  to  every  part  of  Northumbria,  to 
preach  Christ  crucified.  When  one  of  them  entered  a  village 
he  was  soon  surrounded  by  a  congregation  anxious  to  hear  the 
blessed  gospel.  They  knew  that  the  ministers  only  came  to 
their   town  "  to  preach,  baptize,  visit  the   sick,   and    in  few 

1 "  Works,"  Vol.  v.,  p.  297.    Erlington  ed. 
228 


HIBERXIAN   MISSION   SCHOOLS.  229 

words,  to  take  care  of  souls.  They  were  so  free  from  worldly- 
avarice  that  none  of  them  received  lands  and  possessions  for 
building  monasteries,  unless  compelled  by  the  civil  authori- 
ties." Lindisfarne  was  a  noted  instrument  in  securing  the 
evangelization  of  Northumbria  and  the  other  Anglo-Saxon 
nations. 

The  monastery  of  Mailros  ^  or  Melrose,  on  the  river  Tweed, 
was  founded  by  Aidan,  and  it  prospered  greatly  through  his 
efforts.  It  was  the  home  of  Eata,  Boisil,  and  Cuthbert,  in 
whose  day  its  usefulness  extended  over  some  counties  of  what 
is  now  called  Scotland,  and  over  the  entire  north  of  England. 

Cuthbert  was  trained  by  Eata  in  Melrose  ;  he  was  one  of 
twelve  Anglo-Saxon  youths  adopted  by  Aidan  and  Boisil. 
Guthbert's  life  at  Melrose  affords  us  an  example  of  the  practical 
training  imparted  at  a  mission  institute  of  the.  Scots,  and  of 
the  labors  expected,  and  commonly  given.  He  set  out  to 
preach  sometimes  on  horseback,  but  more  frequently  on  foot ; 
upon  his  arrival  at  each  town  the  whole  people  surrounded 
him  to  hear  the  word,  and  generally  they  listened  to  it  eagerly, 
and  carried  it  away  in  their  hearts.  Under  the  power  of 
the  truth,  men  would  sometimes  confess  and  deplore  publicly 
their  most  secret  sins.  The  minister  did  not  shrink  from  go- 
ing to  mountain  villages,  located  amid  craggy  heights,  and 
occupied  by  a  rough  and  almost  barbarous  people,  to  tell  them 
of  Christ's  great  love.  In  these  evangelizing  tours  he  would 
remain  away  from  a  week  to  a  month,  preaching,  very  likely, 
at  least  once  every  day.  Such  were  the  men  brought  up 
under  Aidan's  personal  oversight,  or  in  accordance  with  his 
directions,  either  before  or  after  he  entered  the  heavenly  rest. 
These  missionaries  of  the  Scottish  church  gave  an  immortality 
of  saintly  fame  to  the  old  hewn-log  abbey  of  Melrose  far 
surpassing  any  glory  ever  acquired  by  its  successor,  whose 
magnificent  ruins  are  known  to  the  world.* 

Whitby  Abbey,  anciently  called  Streanshalch,  was  founded 

1  Ussher's  "  Works,"  Vol.  IV.,  p.  304.    Erlington  ed. 

2  Bede's  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  IV.,  cap.  27. 


230         ANCIENT   BRITISH    AND    IRISH    CHURCHES'. 

and  presided  over  by  St.  Hilda,  a  grand-niece  of  Edwin, 
king  of  Northumbria.  She  was  instructed  by  Aidan  and 
other  godly  men.  In  her  monastery  there  were  two  separate 
divisions,  one  for  each  sex  ;  her  institution  had  a  very  large 
list  of  students.  Her  wisdom  was  so  remarkable  in  settling 
controversies  among  her  scholars,  and  in  imparting  right 
principles  to  govern  their  future  lives,  that  soon  her  fame 
spread  everywhere,  and  persons  of  the  highest  rank,  even 
kings  and  princes,  in  their  difficulties  came  to  her  for  counsel. 
She  made  the  Scriptures  so  much  the  subjects  of  reading  and 
study  that  her  monastic  home  became  a  great  theological 
seminary,  from  which  no  less  than  five  bishops  graduated. 
From  so  many  leading  bishops  coming  from  the  celebrated 
school  of  Hilda  it  is  certain  that  there  must  have  been  a 
large  number  of  less  note  who  went  forth  on  preaching  tours. 
This  was  the  custom  in  all  the  Scottish  missions  in  Ireland, 
Scotland,  and  England.  The  toils  of  the  inmates  of  the  mon- 
astery so  called,  in  the  broad  fields  donated  for  its  support, 
sustained  its  entire  family,  sometimes  numbering  thousands, 
abbess,  professors,  teachers,  ministers,  and  pupils. 

In  Whitby  and  other  abbeys  of  the  Scots,  many  were  em- 
ployed in  making  copies  of  the  Scriptures ;  others  in  teaching 
mechanical  trades  to  boys  ;  others  in  giving  instruction  to 
young  girls  in  callings  suitable  to  their  sex ;  and  many  in  all 
grades  of  secular  education ;  and  the  abbess  and  others,  in 
the  simplest  and  most  profound  biblical  studies.  The  male 
and  female  establishment  at  Whitby  under  Hilda,  was  a  great 
common  school  for  the  very  young,  a  manual  training  school, 
a  secular  university,  a  Sunday-school  during  a  portion  of  every 
day  in  the  week,  a  theological  seminary  for  ministers,  and  a 
parsonage  for  the  preachers  who  furnished  the  bread  of  life 
to  the  people  of  a  very  extensive  district.  This  was  one  of 
many  such  monasteries  belonging  to  the  Scots  in  Great 
Britain  and  Ireland. 

Hilda  was  one  of  the  most  talented  and  useful  women  of 
the  whole  Anglo-Saxon  race.     In  the  organization  of  her  col- 


HIBERNIAN   MISSION  SCHOOLS.  231 

lege,  she  and  Aidan  followed  the  example  of  lona  except  in 
receiving  members  of  both  sexes. 

A  man  possessing  remarkable  talents  was  unexpectedly  dis- 
covered in  the  lowly  position  of  hostler  in  the  stables  of  the 
abbey.  He  was  accustomed  to  turn  into  English  poetry  any 
portion  of  the  Latin  Scriptures  translated  to  him.  By  his 
verses  many  became  Christians. 

One  night,  after  leaving  an  entertainment  because  he  could 
not  "  sing  in  turn  with  others  for  the  sake  of  mirth,"  he  fell 
asleep,  and  some  one  spoke  to  him  and  insisted  that  he  should 
sing;  and  as  he  would  take  no  refusal,  Caedmon  inquired, 
what  he  should  sing?  "Sing,"  replied  the  visitor,  "the 
beginning  of  created  beings."  Immediately  he  began  to  sing 
verses  to  the  praise  of  God  which  he  had  never  heard  before. 
On  awaking,  he  remembered  all  that  he  had  sung  in  his 
dream,  and  it  filled  him  with  such  astonishment  and  delight 
that  he  informed  the  steward.  He,  deeply  moved,  communi- 
cated the  intelligence  to  Hilda.  She  sent  for  Caedmon,  for 
she  was  ever  anxious  to  discover  talents  that  could  be  used 
for  the  glory  of  God ;  and  in  the  presence  of  "  many  learned 
men,"  evidently  belonging  to  her  monastery,  at  her  request 
"  he  related  his  dream  and  repeated  the  verses  "  he  heard  in 
it.  "  They  all  concluded  that  heavenly  grace  had  been  con- 
ferred upon  him  by  our  Lord." 

They  gave  him  a  passage  of  Scripture  which  they  ordered 
to  be  turned  into  verse.  The  next  morning  he  gave  it  to 
them  "  composed  in  excellent  verse."  Hilda  rejoicing  over 
the  grace  of  God  in  the  man,  at  once  placed  him  in  her 
monastery,  and  ordered  that  he  should  be  taught  the  whole 
series  of  sacred  history. 

"He  sang  of  the  creation  of  the  world,  the  origin  of  man  and  all  the 
history  of  Genesis,  and  he  made  many  verses  on  the  departure  of  the 
children  of  Israel  out  of  Egypt,  and  their  entering  into  the  land  of 
promise;  the  incarnation,  sufferings,  resurrection  of  our  Lord,  and 
his  ascension  into  heaven;  the  coming  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  the 
preaching  of  the  apostles;  also  the  terror  of  future  judgment,  the 
horror  of  the  pains  of  hell,  and  the  delights  of  heaven;  besides  many 


232         ANCIENT   BRITISH    AND   IRISH    CHURCHES. 

more  about  the  divine  benefits  and  judgments  by  which  he  endeav* 
ored  to  turn  away  all  men  from  the  love  of  vice,  and  to  excite  in  them 
the  love  of  and  application  to  good  actions ;  for  he  was  a  very  reli- 


Caedmon's  poetical  sermons  were  sung  all  over  North  um- 
bria;  and  only  a  little  later,  over  all  the  Anglo-Saxon 
nations.     Nor  is  there  any  doubt  of  their  great  effect. 

The  hymns  and  poems  of  Caedmon  must  have  had  a  power- 
ful fascination.  Sung  by  travelers,  and  around  the  wood 
fires  where  the  family  gathered  at  night ;  by  the  ploughman  in 
his  furrow,  and  the  lonely  shepherd  with  his  flock ;  by  the 
worshiping  hundreds  in  the  log  church,  or  the  listening 
thousands  in  the  open  air ;  they  were  eminently  fitted  to  draw 
the  people  nearer  to  God. 

In  A.  D.  1665,  biblical  poems,  under  the  name  of  Caedmon, 
were  published  at  Amsterdam,  between  which  and  "  Paradise 
Lost,"  in  some  parts,  there  was  such  a  striking  similarity  that 
it  was  supposed  Milton  might  have  had  some  hints  from 
Caedmon.^  It  is  certain,  however,  that  he  had  poetical 
genius  of  a  high  order,  and  that  it  was  not  dedicated  to  the 
Virgin,  St.  Joseph,  or  any  angel :  but  to  the  Father,  Son,  and 
Spirit,  and  their  works,  and  to  the  Holy  Scriptures.  That 
Caedmon  was  a  Protestant  Scot  in  his  belief,  is  just  as  certain 
as  that  he  was  in  race  an  Anglo-Saxon. 

Aidan's  object  in  North umbria  was  precisely  the  same  as 
Coluraba's  in  lona,  from  which  he  came  ;  and  there  is  no  evi- 
dence that  Aidan's  Anglo-Saxon  monasteries,  while  under  the 
control  of  the  Scots,  differed  in  object  or  in  vows  from  lona. 
The  inmates  could  leave  at  any  time,  marry,  exercise  the 
rights  of  ownership  over  such  property  as  they  had  not  sur- 
rendered or  might  yet  acquire,  and  withdraw  the  temporary 
obedience  necessary  in  the  monastery,  but  regarded  as  un- 
pledged and  unjust,  in  the  case  of  withdrawal. 

Through  the  labors  of  Lindisfarne,  Melrose,  and  Whitby, 

1  Bede's  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  IV.,  cap.  24. 
aSoames'  "  Anglo-Saxon  Church,"  p.  253.      London. 


HIBERNIAN   MISSIOX   SCHOOLS.  233 

aided  by  less  prominent  monasteries,  Aidan  and  his  missiona- 
ries, Christianized  the  whole  of  Northumbria.  The  entire 
workers  in  the  Northumbrian  mission,  in  monastic  institutes, 
and  in  gospel  pulpits  seem  to  have  been  made  free  from  their 
guilt  and  their  besetting  sins  by  faith  in  the  Crucified,  and  by 
the  sceptre  of  reigning  grace ;  and  they  were  free  from  the  bar- 
barous bondage  of  popish  nuns  and  the  unchristian  shackles 
of  Romish  monks. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

NORTHUMBRIA    AND   MERCIA. 

Extent  of  Nortbumbria — It  was  evangelized  by  tbe  Hibernian  Scots 
and  their  disciples— Conversion  of  the  southern  Mercians,  and  of 
the  Mercians  proper— Extent  of  Mercia— William  Carey  and  the 
first  American  ancestor  of  Adoniram  Judson  were  born  in  these 
counties. 

NoRTHUMBRiA  Contained^  the  southeastern  counties  of  Scot- 
land ;  and  in  England  the  counties  of  Northumberland,  Cum- 
berland, Durham,  Westmoreland,  York,  and  Lancaster.  This 
was  an  extensive  country,  and  must  have  contained  a  large 
population  at  the  time  of  its  re-conversion  under  its  powerful 
preacher,  Aidan.  He  had  not  only  burning  zeal,  but  aston- 
ishing administrative  ability  to  direct  successfully  and  without 
ajar  the  individuals  and  institutions  working  for  the  Saviour 
in  this  great  kingdom.  And  yet  it  is  supposed  that  at  his 
death  in  651 ,  Northumbria  had  received  the  gospel.  Even 
Lingard  writes  of  this  eminent  Protestant : 

The  success  of  Aidan  was  owing  no  less  to  his  virtues  than  to  his 
preaching;  the  severe  austerity  of  his  life;  his  profound  contempt  for 
riches,  and  his  unwearied  application  to  the  duties  of  his  profession, 
won  the  esteem,  while  his  arguments  convinced  the  understanding, 
of  his  hearers.  Each  day  the  number  of  his  proselytes  increased; 
and  within  a  few  years  the  church  of  Northumbria  was  fixed  upon 
a  solid  and  permanent  foundation.  2 

"  Aidan  was  the  successful  Apostle  of  Northumbria,"  and 
in  the  marvelous  series  of  missionary  successes  which  brought 
this  kingdom  to  Christ,  Aidan,  Oswald,  Hilda,  and  even  Cuth- 
bert,  though  partially  Romanized  in  his  later  years,  stand 
forth  among  the  noblest  Christians  and  missionaries  ever  la- 
boring for  Christ  in  Great  Britain  or  Ireland. 

1  Ussher's  "  Works,"  Vol.  IV.,  p.  357. 

2  Lingard's  "  Antiquities  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  Church,"  p.  75.    Phila. 

234 


NORTHUMBRIA   AND   MERCIA.  235 

The  Southern  Mercians,  also  known  as  the  Midland  Angles, 
were  converted  about  a.  d.  653.  Peada  was  their  ruler. 
His  father,  the  pagan  Penda,  king  of  Mercia,  made  him  prince 
of  the  Southern  Mercians.  He  was  an  accomplished  young 
man,  endowed  wdth  an  excellent  disposition,  and  possessing  a 
flattering  reputation. 

He  sought  in  marriage  Elfleda,  daughter  of  Oswy,  the  king 
of  Northumbria.  Oswy  belonged  to  the  Scottish  church  ; 
and  though  somewhat  easily  led,  when  his  prejudices  favored 
any  course,  he  was  a  Christian,  and  he  absolutely  refused  Pe- 
ada's  request  unless  he  first  became  a  Christian,  and  made 
efforts  "to  secure  the  conversion  of  his  people. 

Oswy's  refusal  of  Elfleda  led  Peada  to  listen  to  the  preach- 
ing of  the  gospel,  and  to  statements  about  the  evidences  of 
Christianity ;  and  finally  he  became  such  a  firm  believer  that 
he  declared  that  he  would  be  baptized  even  though  Elfleda 
should  never  be  his  wife.  He  was  baptized  by  Finan,  the 
successor  of  Aidan,  with  all  the  earls,  soldiers,  and  servants 
that  came  with  him.  He  received  four  priests,  whose  learn- 
ing and  godliness  qualified  them  as  missionaries ;  these  were 
Cedd,  Adda,  Betti,  and  Diuma.  They  arrived  in  the  pro\ance 
with  the  prince,  and  preached  Christ  with  such  demonstra- 
tions of  the  Spirit's  power,  that  "many,  as  well  of  the  nobility 
as  of  the  common  people,  renounced  the  abominations  of  idol- 
atry, and  were  baptized  daily."  Neither  did  Penda  oppose 
this  great  work  among  the  Mercians. 

Two  years  later,  Penda  began  a  deadly  war  against  Oswy 
and  the  Northumbrians,  whom  he  determined  to  exterminate 
from  "  the  highest  to  the  lowest."  The  pagans  had  three  times 
as  many  soldiers  as  Oswy  ;  and  they  were  led  by  veteran  com- 
manders, famous  in  former  wars.  The  Christians  appealed  to 
their  heavenly  Captain  for  succor  in  their  great  peril ;  and 
they  had  faith  in  him  that  he  wonld  give  them  the  victory. 
Penda  was  slain  and  his  soldiers  killed,  drowned,  or  put  to 
flight.  After  the  war  ended,  Diuma,  a  disciple  of  Columba 
of  lona,  was  ordained  bishop  of  the  Southern  Mercians,  by 


236         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

Finan  the  Scot.  Rapin  says,  "  As  for  the  conversion  of  the 
Mercians,  the  Italian  missionaries  [  the  pope's  ]  had  no  hand 
in  it  at  all,"  ^  meaning,  as  he  fully  shows  in  the  context,  that 
the  Scots  were  the  apostles  of  Mercia. 

Soames  ^  justly  represents  "  the  whole  centre  of  England," 
that  is,  the  ancient  kingdom  of  Mercia,  as  being  converted  by 
the  Scottish  missionaries  w^ithout  any  aid  from  the  Romanists. 

Mercia  contained  the  modern  counties  of  Chester,^  Derby, 
Nottingham,  Lincoln,  Shropshire,  Stafford,  Leicester,  Rut- 
land, Northampton,  Huntingdon,  Hereford,  Worcester,  War- 
wick, Gloucester,  Oxford,  Buckingham,  and  parts  of  Hertford 
and  Bedford.  Mercia  was  the  largest  of  the  Anglo-Saxon 
kingdoms.  Its  population,  when  its  inhabitants  were  con- 
verted, must  have  been  very  numerous  for  such  an  early 
period.  Its  conquest  for  Christ,  considering  its  extent,  its 
commanding  situation,  and  the  power  of  its  people  was  of 
the  greatest  importance. 

It  is  a  matter  of  some  interest  that  Dr.  William  Carey,  the 
founder  of  modern  missions,  was  born  in  Northamptonshire, 
in  the  old  kingdom  of  Mercia,  England.  Dr.  Judson,  next  to 
Carey  the  greatest  agent  in  the  establishment  of  modern 
missions,  was  the  descendant  of  William  Judson,  who  came 
to  America  from  Yorkshire,  in  England,  in  1634.  York- 
shire was  an  important  part  of  the  kingdom  of  Northumbria, 
Aidan's  special  field  ;  and  it  was  the  home  of  St.  Hilda  and 
her  great  monastery  at  Whitby,  where  her  memory  and  works 
are  still  cherished,  though  she  died  in  A.  D.  680.  It  is  wor- 
thy of  notice  in  passing,  that  the  founder  of  modern  missions 
was  born  on  an  ancient,  successful  foreign  mission  field  of 
tlie  Scots  in  England,  and  that  the  English  ancestor  of  Dr. 
Judson,  the  great  co-operator  with  Dr.  Carey  in  the  general 
establishment  of  modern  missions,  came  from  another  prosper- 
ous section  of  the  same  Scottish  mission  to  the  same  land. 


1  "  History  of  England,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  79.    London. 

'  Soames'  "  Anglo-Saxon  Church,"  p.  66.    London,  1856. 

3  Ussher's  "  Works,"  Vol.  IV.,  p.  357.    Erlington  ed.,  DubUn. 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE    EAST   SAXONS. 

Extent  of  the  kingdom  of  the  East  Saxons— Its  people  were  baptized 
pagans— The  sons  of  pious  King  Sabert  and  their  people  re-estab- 
hsh  idolatry— Apostasy  in  papal  Kent— The  fraudulent  miracle  of 
Komish  Laurentius— Cedd  and  another  Scot  bring  the  East  Saxons 
to  Christ— Northumbria,  the  southern  counties  of  Scotland,  Mercia, 
and  the  East  Saxons,  were  won  for  Christ — Cedd's  ordination  de- 
fective—Small success  of  Augustine. 

The  kingdom  of  the  East  Saxons  contained  the  modern 
counties  of  Middlesex,^  the  site  of  London,  Essex,  fifty- 
four  miles  long  and  forty-five  wide,  and  the  southern  part  of 
Hertfordshire. 

In  A.  D.  604,  Archbishop  Augustine  ordained  Mellitus 
bishop  of  the  East  Saxons.  London  was  then  their  capital. 
Sabert,  son  of  Ricula,  sister  of  Ethelbert,  king  of  Kent,  was 
their  sovereign.  When  they  were  supposed  to  be  converted 
by  the  ministry  of  Mellitus,  Ethelbert  built  the  first  church 
of  St.  Paul,  in  London,  for  Mellitus  and  his  successors  in  the 
see  of  London. 

Sabert,  the  king,  died  in  a.  d.  616.  He  was  a  true  fol- 
lower of  Christ,  and  his  death  inflicted  a  fatal  blow  for  the 
time  being  upon  the  infant  church  of  the  East  Saxons.  Im- 
mediately after  his  death  his  three  pagan  sons,  who  inherited 
his  dominions,  openly  professed  idolatry,  which  during  their 
father's  reign  they  had  seemingly  abandoned  ;  and  they 
granted  full  liberty  to  their  subjects  to  worship  idols. 

The  princes  sought  a  quarrel  with  Mellitus,  and  compelled 
him  and  his  attendants  to  leave  their  kingdom.  The  bishop 
seeing  that  he  had,  in  his  ignorance,  been  baptizing  pagans 
instead  of  true  converts,  fled  to  France  with  Justus,  of  Roch- 


Ussher's  'Works."  Vol.  IV.,  p  '651. 

237 


238         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND    IRISH    CHURCHES. 

ester  in  Kent,  who,  like  Mellitus,  was  a  fugitive  from  the 
lately  baptized  idolaters.  These  persons,  in  Sabert's  reign, 
either  through  fear,  or  to  advance  their  worldly  interests,  de- 
sired baptism  in  thousands.  Augustine,  Mellitus,  and  Paul- 
inus  administered  it  to  unregeuerate  idolaters,  as  many  as 
might  come.  And  when  the  baptized  pagans  openly  returned 
to  their  idols,  the  two  bishops  sailed  for  France,  and  Lau- 
rentius  was  ready  to  keep  them  company  for  the  same  reason, 
and  would  have  been  a  fugitive  but  for  a  lying  miracle  which 
he  devised,  and  which  frightened  Ethelbert's  son  into  a  pro- 
fession of  Christianity.  The  idolatrous  sons  of  King  Sabert 
were  killed  in  battle  not  long  after  their  father's  decease;  but 
their  people  having  yielded  themselves  to  the  worship  of 
wicked  demons,  would  not  renounce  them  on  account  of  the 
death  of  their  three  princes  who  had  led  them  back  to  the  pub- 
lic worship  of  their  old  gods.  King  Eadbald  of  Kent,  having 
become  apparently  a  Christian,  recalled  Justus  and  Mellitus, 
and  sent  them  to  govern  their  churches.  "  But  the  London- 
ers would  not  receive  Bishop  Mellitus,  choosing  rather  to  be 
under  their  idolatrous  high  priests." 

In  A.  D.  653,  Sigebert,  king  of  the  East  Saxons,  was  on 
very  friendly  terms  with  Oswy,  king  of  Northumbria,  who  fre- 
quently reasoned  with  him  about  his  folly  in  worshiping  idols, 
and  rejecting  the  present  and  everlasting  blessings  of  the  gospel. 
Finally,  when  on  a  visit  to  King  Oswy,  he  accepted  Christ, 
and  his  friends  who  were  with  him  joined  him  in  putting  their 
trust  in  the  Saviour ;  and  he  and  they  requested  baptism  from 
Finan,  the  Scot,  bishop  of  Lindisfarne,  who  baptized  the 
kmg  and  his  distinguished  attendants,  "  at  the  village  called 
'  At  the  Wall,'  because  it  is  close  to  the  wall  by  which  the 
Romans  formerly  divided  the  island  of  Britain."  Oswy,  at 
Sigebert's  request,  on  his  return  home,  "  Gave  him  some 
teachers  who  might  convert  his  nation  to  the  faith  of  Christ, 
and  baptize  them  ";  these  wereCedd  and  another  priest  of  the 
communion  of  the  Scots. 

These  men,  traveling  in  all  parts  of  the  country  of  the 


THE   EAST   SAXONS.  239 

East  Saxons,  gathered  numerous  churches  to  our  Lord,  and 
were  so  prospered  in  their  blessed  work  that  Cedd  felt  the 
need  of  advice  from  the  wise  and  godly  Finan  of  Lindis- 
farne,  to  whom  he  came,  and  whose  heart  was  made  glad  by 
the  prosperity  of  Cedd's  mission.  Finan,  the  Protestant  Scot, 
ordained  him  bishop  of  the  East  Saxons.  Cedd,  encouraged 
by  his  visit  to  Finan,  built  a  number  of  churches  for  his  in- 
creasing congregations,  and  ordained  priests  and  deacons  to 
assist  in  preaching  the  truth,  and  in  the  administration  of 
baptism,  especially  at  Ithrancestir  on  the  Blackwater,  and  in 
Tilbury,  near  the  Thames,  opposite  Gravesend.  At  Tilbury 
he  established  a  monastic  school  to  aid  his  growing  mission 
in  the  education  of  ministers,  and  in  furnishing  a  home  for 
his  numerous  preachers. 

While  his  efforts  were  prospering  in  every  direction,  suddenly 
Sigebert  was  murdered  by  two  of  his  kinsmen.  The  successor 
of  Sigebert  was  Suidhelm,  who  was  baptized  by  Cedd  in  the 
province  of  the  East  Angles,  who  maintained  a  friendly  re- 
lation to  the  Christian  church,  now  permanently  established 
among  the  East  Saxons. 

After  the  death  of  Suidhelm,  Sighere  and  Sebbi,  under 
Wulfhere,  king  of  Mercia,  governed  the  East  Saxons.  In 
their  reign  a  dreadful  pestilence  raged  extensively  among  the 
Anglo-Saxons,  from  w^hich  the  East  Saxons  suffered  severely. 
In  their  terror  and  despair,  Sighere  and  his  subjects  insanely, 
for  a  short  period,  turned  to  idolatry.  In  this  situation  there 
is  no  record  made  of  any  effort  to  reclaim  them  by  the 
Romish  bishops  of  Canterbury  and  Rochester,  their  neigh- 
bors in  Kent.  But  from  Mercia,  converted  by  the  Scots, 
Jaruman,  the  bishop,  and  a  priest  came  to  restore  them  from 
their  temporary  aberration. 

Faithful  and  prayerful  labors  accomplished  their  blessed 
object,  so  that  soon  the  people  turned  to  the  Saviour  again, 
and  "  opened  their  churches,  and  rejoiced  in  confessing  the 
name  of  Christ."  So  that  Jaruman  and  his  companion  re- 
turned to  their  Mercian  field. 


240         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH    CHURCHES. 

Duriog  the  defection  of  Sighere  and  his  subjects,  Sebbi  and 
his  people  ''  very  devoutly  preserved  the  faith  which  they  had 
embraced,"  without  the  slightest  wavering. 

Soames  ^  writes : 

The  kingdom  of  the  East  Saxons  had  sunk  in  unheeded  heathenism 
since  the  failure  of  Mellitus,  the  Komish  missionary.  One  of  its 
princes,  however,  Sigebert,  had  become  a  frequent  guest  at  the 
Northumbrian  Court,  and  he  was  there  converted.  At  his  desire, 
Chad  [Cedd],  of  the  Scottish  communion,  repaired  to  the  East 
Saxons.  He  received  eventually  Episcopal  consecration  from  Einan, 
the  Scot,  prelate  of  Northumbria,  and  it  was  chiefly  by  his  exertions 
that  the  diocese  of  London,  the  kingdom  of  the  East  Saxons,  as  it 
remained  until  recently,  was  reclaimed  from  gentile  superstition. 

The  kingdoms  of  Northumbria,  Mercia,  and  of  the  East 
Saxons,  won  for  Christ  by  the  missionary  Scots  inside  of 
thirty-five  years,  show  rich  triumphs  of  redeeming  mercy 
through  the  earnest  prayers  and  consecrated  labors  of  stran- 
gers from  another  land  and  speaking  a  foreign  tongue. 

In  A.  D.  665,  Chad  [Cedd]  had  to  be  ordained  by  Wini  of 
the  West  Saxons,  with  the  aid  of  two  British  bishops,  who  did 
not  belong  to  the  Roman  communion,  and  by  its  adherents 
were  not  regarded  as  lawfully  consecrated.  Speaking  of  this 
transaction,  Bede  writes,'  "For  at  that  time  there  was  no 
other  bishop  in  all  Britain  canonically  ordained,  besides 
Wini."  Wini  himself  was  ordained  in  France,  so  that  he  had 
no  taint  in  his  consecration,  coming  from  the  hands  of  Protes- 
tant Scottish  or  British  ordaining  bishops. 

Kapin  says : 

Augustine  has  run  away  with  the  honor  of  converting  the  English, 
when  in  the  main  the  progress  he  made  was  not  very  considerable. 
It  is  true  that  he  preached  to  the  Saxons  of  Kent,  as  Mellitus 
did  to  those  of  Essex,  and  that  with  good  success. 

In  the  height  of  his  success,  for  which  he  is  so  greatly  honored, 
Augustine  established  only  two  bishops,  Justus  at  Rochester  [in  his 
own  Kent],  and  Mellitus  at  London,  over  the  East  Saxons.  This 
is  clear   evidence  that  the  progress  with   which   he   was  credited 

1  "  Anglo-Saxon  Church,"  pp.  fi6-7.    London,  1856. 
8  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  III.,  cap.  28  ;  Lib.  III.,  cap.  7. 


THE   EAST   SAXONS.  241 

was  not  so  considerable  as  Gregory  imagined.  Surprisingly  strange 
is  it  that  the  conversion  of  the  English  should  be  ascribed  to  Augus- 
tine, rather  than  to  Aidan,  to  Finan,  to  Colman,  to  Cedd,  to  Diuma, 
and  the  other  Scottish  monks,  who  undoubtedly  labored  much  more 
abundantly  than  he.  But  here  lies  the  case:  these  last  had  not 
their  orders  from  Rome,  and  therefore  must  not  be  allowed  any 
share  of  the  glory  of  this  work.^ 

Only  two  counties  north  of  the  river  Thames  were  under  Roman 
Catholic  superintendence  during  their  transition  from  paganism  to 
Christianity,  and  these  two  were  largely  indebted  to  domestic  [Scot- 
tish] zeal  for  their  conversion.  Every  other  county  from  London 
to  Edinburgh,  a  distance  of  about  four  hundred  miles,  has  the  full 
gratification  of  pointing  to  a  native  church  of  unknown  antiquity, 
but  seemingly  of  Asiatic  origin,  as  its  nursing  mother  in  Christ's 
holy  faith. ^ 

Soames,  in  the  above  statement,  is  sustained  by  evidence 
that  defies  contradiction.  By  ''  native  church"  he  means  the 
church  of  the  ancient  Britons,  of  which  St.  Patrick's  denomi- 
nation was  a  branch. 

The  Scots  rendered  much  assistance  in  the  conversion  of 
the  Romish  Anglo-Saxon  kingdoms.  The  East  Angles  fell 
from  the  Christianity  of  Roman  monks  into  idolatry.  Six 
years  afterward,  through  the  labors  of  Fursey,  a  Protes- 
tant Scot,  great  numbers  of  the  apostates  were  reclaimed. 
King  Oswald  was  the  head  of  the  Protestant  Anglo-Saxon 
church,  but  he  succeeded  in  securing  the  conversion  of  King 
Cynegils  and  his  daughter,  whom  he  married,  and  lent  power- 
ful help  to  their  Romish  bishop,  Birinus. 

About  A.  D  680,  Ethelwalch,  king  of  the  South  Saxons, 
was  converted  while  on  a  visit  to  the  Mercians,  a  kingdom 
evangelized  by  the  Scots.  This  was  an  event  of  the  greatest 
importance  in  leading  to  the  conversion  of  his  people. 

The  East  Angles,  the  West  Saxons,  and  the  South  Saxons 
were  Roman  Catholics,  whom  the  Protestant  Scots,  or  their 
disciples,  efficiently  helped  to  relinquish  heathenism  and  em- 
brace the  Saviour.  Of  course  the  Scots  w^ere  but  instruments 
in  these  conversions,  the   power  came  from  the  divine  Spirit. 

1  Rapin's  "History  of  England  '  Vol.  I.,  pp.  79,  80. 
»  Soames'  "  Anglo-Saxon  Church,"  p.  67. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE   SCOTS   AND   THEIR   ANGLO-SAXON   CONVERTS. 

They  were  engrossed  with  winning  souls — Denominational  train- 
ing neglected — The  opposition  of  King  Ethelbert's  family — The 
Easter  and  tonsure  controversies— Queen  Elfreda's  influence— The 
council  of  Whitby— Oswy's  treachery— Wilfrid,  and  Peter  as  the 
rock— Persecution— The  "  tea  tax"— Archbishop  Theodore. 

That  the  grand  results  of  such  a  mde-spread  work  should 
be  removed  from  the  supervision  of  members  of  the  Scot- 
tish communion,  is  a  matter  justly  causing  much  surprise. 
The  church  of  the  Hibernian  Scots,  in  their  island  home,  or 
in  what  is  now  called  Scotland,  was  essentially  a  missionary 
establishment  for  centuries,  during  and  after  St.  Patrick's 
day.  This  was  the  controlling  purpose  governing  all  its  in- 
stitutions, efforts,  and  contributions ;  and  sending  many  of  its 
noblest  sons  to  preach  the  gospel  in  Scotland,  England, 
France,  Germany,  Switzerland,  and  Italy.  The  Scots  were 
entirely  engrossed  with  the  glorious  work  of  soul  saving,  and 
paid  little  attention  to  the  instruction  of  their  converts  in  their 
denominational  peculiarities.  George  Whitefield  was  proba- 
bly the  greatest  preacher,  in  many  respects,  that  ever  ad- 
dressed an  Anglo-Saxon  audience  ;  wherever  he  proclaimed 
the  gospel  men  and  women  were  converted,  and  often  in 
large  numbers ;  and  in  one  great  meeting  upon  the  Calton 
Hillp  in  Edinboro,  five  hundred  souls  are  said  to  have  been 
born  again.  England,  Scotland,  and  America  had  mul- 
titudes of  his  spiritual  children,  who  speedily  brought  other 
throngs  to  Christ. 

But  Whitefield  taught  no  denominational  doctrines,  and 
established  no  community  bearing  his  own  or  any  other  name  ; 
and  as  a  natural  result  his  disciples  filled  up  the  ranks  of 
242 


THE   SCOTS    AND    ANGLO-SAXONS.  243 

other  denominations,  and  constituted  no  church  with  which 
Whitefield's  name  was  inseparably  linked. 

It  is  safe  to  say,  that  if  all  the  persons  born  again,  or  re- 
vived, under  Whitefield's  ministry,  and  all  others  blessed  in 
the  same  way  through  their  instrumentality  and  the  agency 
of  their  successors,  and  if  the  living  among  them  existed  in 
one  denomination  to-day,  it  would  be  much  the  largest  in 
England  or  America.  But  Whitefield  lost  posthumous  fame, 
and  Protestant  churches  gained  enormously  in  souls  overflow- 
ing with  love  to  Christ.  The  Scots  acted  substantially  upon 
Whitefield's  principle.  Had  it  been  otherwise,  no  power  in 
England  could  have  driven  them  from  two-thirds  of  the 
Anglo-Saxon  dominions  in  Britain,  occupied  and  owned  by 
their  disciples.  If  their  spiritual  children,  after  the  posses- 
sion of  new  hearts,  had  been  trained  thoroughly  in  the  great 
principles  of  the  Scots  as  contrasted  with  those  of  Eome,  as 
they  ought  to  have  been,  they  would  have  discovered  among 
themselves  some  warlike.  God-fearing  Cromwell,  who  would 
have  purchased  liberty  of  conscience  for  them,  if  necessary,  even 
by  the  sword.  But  they  never  tried  to  form  a  compact,  in- 
doctrinated denomination,  which  might  have  continued  pure, 
and  perhaps  have  rendered  the  Keformation  of  the  sixteenth 
century  unnecessary  in  much  the  larger  part  of  the  territory 
governed  in  the  seventh  century  by  the  Anglo-Saxons. 

Bribery  was  active  in  robbing  the  Scots  in  Britain  of  the 
people  who  were  rescued  from  idolatry  by  their  efforts. 
How  extensively  this  powerful  argument  was  employed  it  is 
i  inpossible  now  to  prove ;  but  it  was  used  successfully  in  one 
notable  case,  and  it  may  have  been  practised  in  a  number  of 
others.  Bede  relates  that  Wini,  for  money  given  to  the  king 
of  Mercia,  obtained  the  see  of  London,  and  became  the  re- 
ligious teacher  of  the  East  Saxons,  a  people  converted  from 
apjstasy  and  idolatry  by  the  Scottish  missionaries,  and  per- 
manently gained  to  Rome  by  Wini. 

Romanism  has  secured  enormous  advantages  from  kings ;  and 
often  through  the  arts  of  queens.     The  royal  family  of  Kent 


244         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH    CHURCHES. 

was  loyal  to  Rome ;  Bertha,  the  queen  became  such  before  the 
coming  of  Augustine,  Ethelbert,  soon  after,  and  his  family 
generally,  except  during  the  brief  apostasy  of  Eadbald,  im- 
mediately after  Ethelbert's  death.  This  family  enjoyed  the 
confidence  and  respect  of  all  the  Anglo-Saxon  princes.  Their 
reputation  was  greatly  exalted,  because  they  were  the  first 
patrons  of  Christianity  among  the  Anglo-Saxons.  And  it 
was  a  special  subject  of  gratification  to  them  that  their 
Christianity  came  from  Rome,  the  famous  old  capital  of  the 
world,  and  from  Gregory,  who  possessed  more  personal  wealth 
and  public  respect  than  any  bishop  in  Christendom,  and  not 
from  missionaries,  destitute  of  refinement,  who  came  from  the 
barbarous  country  of  the  Northern  Picts,  or  from  Hibernia. 
Their  relation  to  Augustine,  as  they  considered  it,  bound  them 
in  honor  to  sustain  Romanism  in  every  one  of  the  Saxon 
kingdoms  when  an  opportunity  was  given,  and  to  supplant 
the  Scottish  missionaries  by  popish  priests. 

A  subject  of  bitter  controversy  arose  between  the  Scots  and 
Romanists  in  Britain,  about  the  proper  time  to  celebrate 
Easter.  The  feast  itself  had  been  regarded  for  some  centuries 
even  then  as  of  the  greatest  importance.  It  divided  occa- 
sionally members  of  the  same  family  in  its  celebration.  While 
one  was  observing  the  lenten  fast  with  a  view  to  celebrate 
Easter,  another  had  ended  the  fast,  and  was  inclined  to  in- 
dulge in  all  the  jovs  then  customary  at  Easter.  The  Roman 
party  made  the  date  of  the  celebration  of  Easter  as  important 
almost  as  the  doctrine  of  the  incarnation,  and  possessed  the 
demon  of  intolerance  toward  their  Scottish  brethren. 

Eanfleda,  the  wife  of  Oswy,  king  of  Northumbria,  was  a 
Kentish  princess,  a  granddaughter  of  Bertha,  so  resolutely 
bent  upon  the  conversion  of  her  grandfather  Ethelbert,  king 
of  Kent.  She  was  the  friend  of  the  Romish  Augustine  living, 
and  was  buried  near  him  after  death.  Eanfleda  was  a  reso- 
lute Papist,  and  she  brought  a  chaplain  named  Rom  anus  with 
her  to  shield  her  from  the  necessity  of  being  present  at  the  ser- 
vices of  the  faithful  Scots.     Hei  son's  tutor  was  Wilfrid,  the 


THE   SCOTS   AND  ANGLO-SAXONS.  245 

bitterest  Romanist  outside  the  papal  chair.     On  one  occasion, 
as  Prof.  Stokes  says  ; 

The  king  had  ended  his  fast  of  Lent,  and  was  celebrating  his  Eas- 
ier, while  the  queen  was  still  fasting,  and  observing  the  lengthened 
services  of  Palm  Sunday  and  of  passion  week  ;  and  you  may  be  sure 
she  felt  bound,  as  an  ardent  Romanist,  to  bring  Oswy  round  to  a  more 
catholic  frame  of  mind,  by  putting  him  upon  the  same  meagre  allow- 
ance she  herself  was  enjo^'ing  in  that  penitential  season. 

This  enemy  of  the  Protestant  Scots,  apparently  teased, 
flattered,  and  argued  her  husbaud  into  a  renunciation  of  the 
Scottish  communion  privately,  with  a  view  to  a  public  discus- 
sion and  pretended  refutation  of  the  points  in  controversy 
between  them  and  the  Romanists. 

Another  disputed  question  between  the  Scots  and  Roman- 
ists was  the  form  of  the  tonsure.  The  Roman  clergy  shaved 
the  crown  of  the  head,  which  was  surrounded  by  a  circle  of 
hair,  and  was  supposed  to  represent  the  Saviour's  crown  of 
thorns ;  this,  the  Romanists  claimed,  had  descended  to  them 
from  St.  Peter.  The  Scottish  priests  shaved  the  fore  part  of 
the  head  from  ear  to  ear  in  the  shape  of  a  crescent,  which 
their  enemies  called  in  mockery  the  tonsure  of  Simon  Magus. 
As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  tonsure  was  a  heathen  practice. 
Bingham^  denies  the  existence  of  this  custom  in  the  early 
ages  of  the  gospel,  and  quotes  in  proof  Jerome's  comment  on 
the  words,  "  Neither  shall  they  shave  their  heads,  nor  suffer 
their  locks  to  grow  long ;  they  shall  only  poll  their  heads  " 
(Ezekiel  44:  20).     He  says  : 

This  evidently  demonstrates,  that  we  ought  neither  to  have  our 
heads  shaved,  as  the  priests  and  votaries  of  Isis  and  Serapis  ;  nor  yet 
suffer  our  hair  to  grow  long,  after  the  luxurious  manner  of  barbarians 
and  soldiers;  but  that  priests  should  appear  with  a  venerable  and 
grave  countenance  :  neither  are  they  to  make  themselves  bald  with 
a  razor,  nor  clip  their  heads  so  close  that  they  may  look  as  if  they 
were  shaven  ;  but  they  are  to  let  their  hair  grow  so  long  that  it  may 
cover  their  skin 

"  It  is  impossible,"  says  Bingham,  "  for  any  rational  man 

1  '  Antiquities  of  the  Christian  Church,"  Book  VI.,  chap  4,  sec.  16, 


246         ANCIENT   BRITISH    AND    IRISH   CHURCHES' 

to  suppose  that  Christian  priests  bad  sliaveo  crovvus  in  the 
time  of  St.  Jerome,  when  he  so  expressly  says  that  they  had 
not,  and  that  none  had  but  the  priests  of  Isis  and  Serapis.'' 
These  were  the  two  grand  objections  to  the  Scots  urged  by  the 
Romanists,  the  Scottish  time  of  celebrating  Easter  being  the 
greater  heresy  of  the  two. 

Eanfieda.  her  popish  son  Alfrid,  and  Wilfrid,  having  com- 
pleted their  plot  against  the  Scots,  and  having  undoubtedly 
secured  the  acquiescence  of  King  Oswy,  an  ecclesiastical 
council  was  called  to  meet  at  Whitby  ;  and  in  A.  D.  664  it 
assembled  ;  Oswy  presided  over  it.  In  his  opening  address  he 
declared  that  he  thought  that  "  those  who  served  one  God 
should  observe  the  same  rule  of  life  ;  and  as  they  all  expected 
the  same  kingdom  in  heaven,  they  ougjht  not  to  differ  about 
the  celebration  of  the  divine  mysteries  ;  but  rather  to  inquire 
which  was  the  truest  tradition,  that  the  same  might  be  followed 
by  all.''  However  true  these  statements  were  as  independent 
propositions,  in  the  connection  in  which  they  were  used  they 
were  but  pretenses  in  order  to  condemn  the  Scots  and  to  declare 
that  the  king  renounced  their  customs  and  would  tolerate 
only  the  Roman  usages.  Both  sides  were  heard  ;  Bishop  Col- 
man  ably  defending  the  Scots,  as  far  as  the  king  permitted. 

Wilfrid,  the  tutor  of  Alfrid,  Oswy's  son,  quoted  the  text 
so  frequently  employed,  and  so  often  misapplied  by  Roman- 
ists, "  Thou  art  Peter,  and  upon  this  rock  [his  confession  just 
made  that  Christ  was  the  son  of  the  living  God]  I  will  build 
my  church,  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail  against  it : 
and  to  thee  I  will  give  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven," 
etc.  Wilfrid,  with  the  utmost  coolness  assumed  that  Peter 
was  the  foundation  of  the  church,  and  with  natural  audacity 
claimed  that  the  pope  was  his  successor,  and  held  his  keys. 
Oswy  was  not  astonished  at  this  falsehood  ;  he  had  heard  it 
often  from  Eanfieda,  Alfrid,  Romanus,  and  Wilfrid  ;  and  he 
had  concluded  to  crush  the  Scots,  and  free  himself  from  the 
tormenting  efforts  of  Eanfieda  to  make  him  a  Romanist. 
The  king  said  : 


THE  SCOTS  AND  ANGLO-SAXONS.  247 

"  Is  it  true,  Colman,  that  these  words  were  spoken  to 
Peter  by  our  Lord  ?  " 

He  answered,  "  It  is  true,  O  king." 

Then  said  he,  "  Can  you  show  any  such  power  given  to 
your  Columba  ?  " 

Colman  answered,  "None." 

Then  the  king  in  substance  answered  that  as  Colman  and 
Wilfrid  both  agreed  that  the  keys  of  heaven  were  given  to 
Peter,  he  would  obey  in  all  things  the  decrees  of  Peter,  the 
doorkeeper  of  heaven,  lest  he  might  refuse  to  admit  him  by 
his  keys  when  he  sought  an  entrance  into  paradise.  There 
was  not  one  word  uttered  by  Colman  or  Wilfrid  about  the 
time  for  celebrating  Easter,  or  the  form  of  the  tonsure,  which 
inspired  the  slightest  interest  in  King  Oswy,  though  the  set- 
tlement of  troubles  in  connection  with  these  usages  was  the 
object  for  which  the  meeting  was  ostensibly  held.  But  when 
Peter  as  the  rock,  and  the  holder  of  the  keys  of  the  kingdom 
of  heaven,  was  introduced,  then  Oswy  was  deeply  moved,  and 
avowed  himself  a  follower  of  Peter,  that  is.  a  Romanist,  and 
condemned  the  entire  Scots  communion  in  Northumbria, 
which  condemnation  was  the  whole  object  of  the  synod. 

Colman  seeing  that  "his  doctrine  was  rejected  and  his  sect 
despised,"  and  conformity  to  the  Roman  Easter  and  tonsure 
demanded  under  severe  penalties,  took  with  him  the  faithful 
Scots  and  such  Anglo-Saxons  as  would  not  accept  the  popish 
Easter  and  tonsure,  and  withdrew  first  into  Scotland,  and  sub- 
sequently into  Ireland.'  Great  numbers  of  good  men  con- 
formed ;  others  were  silent  and  lived  secluded  ;  many  flocks 
were  scattered ;  and  the  Christianity  of  two-thirds  of  the 
Anglo-Saxons  received  9  blow  like  the  one  struck  by  the  act 
of  uniformity  in  England  in  1662,  when  about  two  thou- 
sand of  the  noblest  Christian  ministers  in  the  English 
church,  the  equals  of  Colman  and  his  brethren,  were  driven 
forth   homeless,   and   often    penniless,   because    they   would 


Bede's  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib  III.,  cap.  26. 


248         ANCIENT   BRITISH    AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

not  conform  to  Romish  usages,  and  were  bitterly  persecuted 
for  years.^ 

With  the  departure  of  the  leaders  of  the  Scots  their  system 
was  broken  up.  Romanists  filled  their  positions ;  Canterbury 
took  the  place  of  Lindisfarne  ;  Rome  took  the  place  of  lona, 
and  sent  Archbishop  Theodore,  as  lona  had  sent  Aidan, 
Finan,  and  Colman.  The  Scots  educated  many  of  their  suc- 
cessors, and  implanted  a  love  for  the  Scriptures  in  the  vast 
population  intrusted  to  them  for  instruction,  which  lived  in 
their  hearts  long  after  their  dear  old  teachers  had  been  re- 
moved from  their  beloved  flocks. 

Many  have  said,  "  How  foolish  the  Scots  were  to  leave  their 
mission  fields  for  the  sake  of  retaining  their  own  Easter  and 
tonsure.  Why  did  they  not  give  them  up  and  accept  the 
Romish  ?  "  In  a  way  for  which  we  cannot  account,  the  Scots 
believed  that  their  tonsure  and  Easter  were  divinely  ap- 
pointed, and  that  they  were  urged  by  Romanists  on  the  basis 
of  the  pope's  authority  to  give  up  their  religious  usages  and 
accept  his.  They  scorned  his  pretended  superiority,  and 
reckoned  it  a  great  crime  against  Christ  to  recognize  his 
usurpations,  even  in  little  things  in  the  Saviour's  kingdom. 

When,  in  1773,  the  British  Parliament  repealed  certain 
taxes  which  it  had  unjustly  imposed  upon  the  American  colo- 
nists, but  retained  six  cents  a  pound  as  duty  upon  tea ;  and 
when  opposition  to  the  tea  tax  showed  irrepressible  strength, 
compelling  the  return  to  Europe  of  some  of  the  tea,  hindering 
its  sale  everywhere,  and  prompting  some  disguised  Boston 
patriots  to  empty  the  tea  chests  into  the  water,^  would  any 
intelligent  man  on  earth  ask,  "  Why  run  such  tremendous  risks 
with  England  for  six  cents  a  pound  upon  tea?"  Not  one. 
The  lover  of  his  country  would  know  that  the  colonists  were 
fighting  against  "  taxation  without  representation  "  ,  in  short, 
for  freedom,  and  against  tyranny.  The  Scots  rightly  viewed 
the  Easter  and  the  tonsure  of  Rome,  as  the  patriotic  colonists 

1  Neal's  "  History  of  the  Puritans,"  Vol.  IV.,  p.  .30.^.    Dublin. 
«  Anderson's  "  General  History,"  p  370.    New  York. 


THE   SCOTS    AND    ANGLO-SAXONS.  249 

regarded  the  tea  tax,  and  they  resisted  her  claims  to  rule 
them  in  little  or  great  things  as  impious  opposition  to  Christ, 
the  only  lawgiver  of  Christians  They  should,  however,  have 
remained  in  England  and  marshalled  their  forces  against  the 
pope,  and  all  his  queenly,  kingly,  and  priestly  abettors  in  the 
Anglo-Saxon  heptarchy. 

It  was  necessary,  four  years  after  the  withdrawal  of  the 
Scots,  to  send  a  man  to  Rome  to  be  consecrated  archbishop  of 
Canterbury,  apparently  to  secure  respect  for  his  decisions  in 
Britain.  But  he  died  abroad,  and  Pope  Vitalian,  to  stop  re- 
ligious dissension  in  England,  selected  a  Greek  named  Theo- 
dore, a  native  of  Tarsus,  in  Cilicia,  for  this  great  office. 
Theodore  was  a  man  of  considerable  learning  and  of  a  despotic 
will,  and  he  bent  all  his  energies  to  the  triumph  of  Rome  in 
England. 

In  the  twenty-one  years  of  his  primacy,  by  the  exercise  of 
Greek  shrewdness  and  of  tyrannical  power,  and  by  the  sup- 
port of  the  armed  forces  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  kings,  Romish 
Easter,  the  papal  tonsure,  and  all  the  public  ceremonies  of 
popery  were  openly  observed,  and  in  the  great  majority  of 
cases  secretly  hated. 

It  is  not  improbable  that  if  Theodore  had  not  come  to 
Canterbury  the  Scots  might  have  been  recalled,  and  an  open 
Bible  continued  to  two-thirds  of  the  Anglo-Saxons. 

Colman,  the  defender  of  the  Scots  at  Whitby,  finally  settled 
with  other  saints  on  the  island  of  Inis-bo-Finne,  off  the  coast 
of  County  Mayo,  Ireland,  and  founded  a  church  upon  it, 
the  ruins  of  which  are  still  to  be  seen  on  the  island.  His 
death  occurred  in  August,  A.  d.  675.^ 

»  O'Donovan's  "Annals  of  the  Kingdom  of  Ireland,"  by  the  Four  Masters,  at  a.  d. 
667. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

PROTESTANTISM    IN     GREAT    BRITAIN    AND    IRELAND    FROM 
THE   BEGINNING   OF   THE   SEVENTH    CENTURY. 

The  Celtic  people  of  Britain  and  Ireland  were  all  one  Protestant  de- 
nomination in  the  seventh  century— Letters  of  the  Romish  bishops 
Laurentius,  Mellitus,  and  Justus — Meetmgs  of  the  British  clergy 
with  Augustine,  in  a.  d  603— A  pretended  miracle  of  Augustine— 
His  pride— Insolent  demands  and  threatenings — The  Britons  had 
no  intercourse  with  Rome— They  were  treated  as  rebellious  schis- 
matics—Ancient  Welsh  account  of  the  meeting  with  Augustine— 
The  Britons  declared  that  they  owed  no  obedience  to  the  pope. 

The  original  inhabitants  of  England,  Scotland,  and 
Ireland,  in  the  beginning  of  the  seventh  century,  were  all 
Protestants,  in  the  modern  sense  of  that  term.  At  exactly  the 
same  period,  the  little  community  of  Anglo-Saxon  converts 
were  Romanists.  About  the  middle  of  the  seventh  century 
Protestant  Anglo-Saxon  believers  were  very  numerous. 

The  ancient  British,  Irish,  and  Caledonian  churches  were 
substantially  one  great  Protestant  body,  like  the  "United 
Church  of  England  and  Ireland "  (Episcopalian),  of  the 
present  day,  with  the  same  articles  of  faith,  but  with  separate 
local  jurisdiction.  Laurentius,  Archbishop  of  Canterbury, 
and  Bishops  Mellitus  and  Justus,  in  a  letter  written  about  A. 
D.  605,  which  Bede^  has  preserved,  and  which  they  addressed 
to  the  "  bishops  and  abbots  throughout  all  Scotland,"  that  is, 
to  the  Scots  of  Ireland  and  Caledonia,  say  : 

Becoming  acquainted  with  the  errors  of  the  Britons,  we  thought 
the  Scots  had  been  better;  but  we  have  been  informed  by  Bishop 
Dagan,  coming  into  this  aforesaid  island  [Britain],  and  the  Abbot 
Columbanus  [an  Irishman],  in  France,  that  the  Scots  in  noway  differ 
from  the  Britons  in  their  behavior  [toward  Romanists]. 

1  Bede's  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  IT.,  cap.  4. 
250 


PROTESTANTISM    IN    GREAT    BRITAIN. 


251 


Baronius*  writes,  "  that  the  Scots  were  dipped  in  the  same 
schism  with  the  Britons,"  and  for  this  reason  affirms  that  the 
Britons  were  subjected  by  Providence  to  the  wrongs  inflicted 
upon  them  by  a  "  barbarous  nation,"  meaning  the  Anglo- 
Saxons. 

Wilfrid,  Queen  Eanfleda's  able  and  arrogant  assailant  of 
the  illustrious  Scottish  missionaries  at  the  council  of  Whitby, 
speaking  of  them,  and  of  Easter,  says:^  "Only  these  and 
their  accomplices  in  obstinacy,  I  mean  the  Picts  and  Britons, 
who  foolishly  in  these  two  remote  islands,  and  only  in  part 
even  of  them,  oppose  all  the  rest  of  the  world."  These 
words  were  uttered  in  A.  d.  664,  a  little  before  which  there 
had  been  some  defection  in  the  south  of  Ireland  toward 
Romish  Easter,  not  toward  submission  to  the  supremacy  of 
the  pope,  to  whom  they  did  not  bow  for  several  hundred 
years  afterward.  Wilfrid  alludes  to  this  defection  in  the  quo- 
tation, but  admits  the  agreement  of  the  Scots,  Picts,  and 
Britons,  about  Easter,  which  stood  in  the  forefront  of  all  the 
differences  separating  them  from  Rome.     Soames  writes : 

It  is  quite  certain  that,  in  Augustine's  tune,  from  a.  d.  596  to  604, 
[Celtic]  Britain  and  Ireland  were  agreed  upon  religious  questions.  .  . 
Their  clergy  may  be  described  as  one  body,  with  as  much  accuracy 
as  the  whole  Anglican  clergy,  be  they  where  they  may,  or  the  whole 
Romish  clergy,  be  they  where  they  may,  may  be  described  as  one 
body.' 

Few  more  interesting  conferences  have  ever  been  held  in 
Britain,  than  the  one  in  which  the  chief  of  the  Italian  mis- 
sionaries in  England  and  the  bishops  of  the  ancient  Britons 
took  part,  in  A.  d.  603. 

King  Ethelbert  of  Kent  "  drew  together  the  bishops,  or 
doctors,  of  tiie  next  province  of  the  Britons,"  at  a  place 
called,  in  the  eighth  century,  Augustine's  Oak.  Augustine,  by 
"  brotherly  admonitions,"  tried  "  to  persuade  them  to  preserve 
Catholic  unity  with  him,"  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  pagan 

1  "  Annales  Ecclesiastici,"  at  a,  d.  604,  sec.  78. 

2  Bede's  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  III.,  cap.  25. 

8  Soames'  "  Latin  Church,"  p  51.    London,  1848. 


252         ANCIENT    BKITISH    AND    IRISH    CHUIICHES. 

Anglo-Saxons,  and  to  adopt  the  Romish  time  for  the  celebra- 
tion of  Easter.  He  also  charged  them  with  "  doing  several 
other  things  which  were  against  the  unity  of  the  church." 
"  When,  after  a  long  disputation,  they  did  not  comply  with 
the  entreaties,  exhortations,  or  rebukes  of  Augustine  and  his 
companions,  but  preferred  their  own  traditions  before  all  the 
churches  in  the  world,  which  in  Christ  agree  among  them 
selves,"  he  proposed  to  end  the  controversy  by  a  miracle 
The  Britons  "  consented  unwillingly."  A  blind  Englishman, 
not  a  Briton,  was  the  proposed  subject,  of  the  miracle.  This 
friend  of  Augustine  received  no  relief  from  "  the  ministry  of 
the  Britons,"  according  to  the  report  which  reached  Bede,  but 
immediately  received  sight  through  the  prayers  of  his 
archbishop. 

If  Augustine  had  been  a  man  of  superior  sagacity  he 
would  have  insisted  upon  the  Britons  procuring  a  bhnd  man 
of  their  race  for  his  miraculous  test ;  had  this  been  done, 
and  had  the  man  received  sight  through  Augustine's  prayers, 
there  might  have  been  some  result  favorable  to  Rome  from 
the  supposed  supernatural  response  to  the  archbishop's  appeal 
to  heaven.  As  matters  occurred,  it  was  a  pre-arranged  fraud, 
with  the  pretended  blind  Englishman  apparently  at  hand 
ready  to  receive  the  sight  which  he  had  never  lost.  False 
miracles  in  that  age  abounded.  Bede  himself  has  an  exten- 
sive list  of  them  from  the  archives  of  Canterbury,  or  even 
from  the  memories  of  credulous  Northumbrians. 

The  most  striking  features  of  the  first  conference  were  that 
the  Britons  were  required  to  preserve  Catholic  unity,  to  sur= 
render  certain  things,  to  perform  certain  other  things,  and 
in  general  to  comply  with  the  demands  of  this  arrogant 
monk  from  Rome.  A  witty  lady,  speaking  of  the  most  com- 
mon and  sacred  of  earthly  unions,  once  said :  "  The  husband 
and  wife  are  one,  and  that  one  is  the  husband."  Her  view 
of  the  wedded  union  was  precisely  the  idea  of  Augustine 
about  Catholic  unity.  The  Britons  must  give  up  their 
Protestantism  and  become   Romanists,  then  there  would  be 


PROTESTANTISM   IN    GREAT    BRITAIN.  2o3 

glorious  Catholic  unity.  The  Britons  rejected  the  Romish 
scheme  at  the  first  meeting,  but  agreed  to  it  at  a  second. 
Bede  states  that  they  sought  it,  and  confessed,  after  the  false 
miracle,  that  Augustine  was  the  preacher  of  divine  truth. 
No  doubt  this  was  the  Canterbury  tradition  which  was  sent  to 
him ;  but  if  it  is  to  be  credited,  why  did  not  some  of  them 
advocate  Augustine  at  the  second  conference  ?  Their  acts  at 
both  meetings  flatly  contradict  the  Canterbury  story. 

Another  remarkable  statement  in  the  conference,  which 
Bede  does  not  deny,  though  he  records  it,  was  made  by  the 
Britons,  "  that  they  could  not  depart  from  their  ancient  cus- 
toms "  without  the  consent  and  leave  of  their  people.  The 
ancient  customs  of  which  they  speak  are  their  usages  and  doc- 
trines, which  prohibited  them  from  joining  the  church  of  the 
pope.  From  this  statement,  it  follows  that  they  were  not  at 
any  time  rebels  to  the  pope,  who  were  guilty  of  schism  and 
formed  a  church  of  their  own,  as  Romanists  have  asserted ; 
but  that  they  were,  from  the  first  preaching  of  Christianity  in 
Britain,  an  independent  community,  borrowing  no  Roman 
rites,  and  refusing  the  kingly  tyranny  of  the  popes. 

At  the  second  conference,  as  Bede  relates,  there  were 
present : 

Seven  bishops  of  the  Britons,  as  was  asserted,  and  many  most  learned 
men,  especially  from  their  most  noble  monastery,  which,  in  the  Eng- 
lish tongue,  is  called  Bancornburg  [Bangor],  over  which  the  Abbot 
Dinooth  is  said  to  have  presided  at  that  time. 

The  representatives  of  the  Britons  before  coming  to  the 
conference  took  council  of  a  "  holy  and  discreet  man,  who  was 
accustomed  to  lead  a  hermit's  life  [living  in  a  solitary  place] 
among  them,"  in  reference  to  forsaking  their  traditions  "  at 
the  preaching  of  Augustine."  He  answered,  "  If  he  is  a  man 
of  God,  follow  him."  "  How  shall  we  know  that  ?  "  said  they. 
He  replied,  "  Our  Lord  saith,  '  Take  my  yoke  upon  you,  and 
learn  of  me,  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in  heart ' ;  if,  therefore, 
Augustine  is  meek  and  lowly  of  heart,  it  is  to  be  believed  that 
he  has  taken  upon  him  the  yoke  of  Christ,  and  ofl^ers  the  same 


254         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

to  you  to  take  upon  you.  But  if  he  is  stern  and  haughty,  it 
appears  that  he  is  not  of  God,  nor  are  we  to  regard  his  words." 
They  insisted  again,  "  And  how  shall  we  discern  even  this?  " 
"  Contrive,"  said  the  anchorite,  "  that  he  may  first  arrive  with 
his  company  at  the  place  where  the  synod  is  to  be  held  ;  and 
if  at  your  approach  he  shall  rise  up  to  you,  hear  him  submis- 
sively, being  assured  that  he  is  the  servant  of  Christ ;  but,  if 
he  shall  despise  you,  and  not  rise  up  to  you,  whereas  you  are 
more  in  number,  let  him  be  despised  also  by  you." 

They  took  the  hermit's  advice,  and  it  is  more  than  probable 
that  they  would  have  followed  the  course  he  counseled  if  they 
had  not  heard  his  suggestions.  When  they- came  to  the  place 
of  meeting,  Augustine  was  there,  and  seated,  and  he  did  not 
arise  to  receive  them.     Bede  says,  that  the  Britons  on 

Observing  this  were  in  a  passion,  charged  him  with  pride,  and  en- 
deavored to  contradict  all  that  he  uttered.  He  said  to  them,  "You 
act  in  many  particulars  contrary  to  our  custom,  or  rather  to  the  cus- 
tom of  the  universal  church,  and  yet,  if  you  will  comply  with  me  in 
these  three  points  :  Keep  Easter  at  the  due  time  ;  administer  baptism, 
by  which  we  are  again  born  to  God,  according  to  the  custom  of  the 
holy  Koman  Apostolic  Church;  and  jointly  with  us  preach  the 
word  of  God  to  the  English  nation,  we  will  readily  tolerate  all  the 
other  things  you  do,  though  contrary  to  our  customs."  They  an- 
swered that  they  would  do  none  of  these  things,  nor  receive  him  as 
their  archbishop. ^ 

After  this  response,  Augustine  "  breathed  out  threatenings  " 
about  the  "vengeance  of  death,"  which  they  would  suffer 
from  their  English  enemies. 

There  could  not  be  a  more  complete  and  determined  rejec- 
tion of  Augustine  himself  and  his  rites,  customs,  and  church, 
and  of  the  authority  of  Pope  Gregory,  who  sent  him.  The 
noble  protest  of  the  Reformers  at  the  diet  of  Spire  in  1 529, 
against  certain  of  its  decrees,  gave  them  and  subsequent 
rejecters  of  Romanism  the  new  name  of  Protestants.  Tlie 
British  representatives  at  Augustine's  Oak,  protested  quite 
as  loudly  as  the  Reformers  at  Spire;  and  they  had  this  in 

1  Bede's  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  II.,  cap.  2. 


PROTESTANTISM   IN   GEEAT   BRITAIN.  255 

their  favor,  that  while  the  German  Protestants  had  been 
always  Komanists  until  a  short  period  before  their  famous 
protest,  the  Britons  were  never  Roman  Catholics.  Accord- 
ing to  the  learned  Bingham  :  ^ 

The  Britannic  churches  for  six  hundred  years  never  acknowledged 
any  dependence  upon  Home.  And  for  the  business  of  the  paschal 
controversy,  they  were  so  far  from  paying  any  deference  to  the  Ro- 
man custom,  that  they  continued  their  ancient  practice  of  observing 
Easter  on  a'different  Sunday  from  Rome  for  some  ages  after,  not- 
withstanding all  the  arguments  that  the  pope  or  his  party  could  urge 
against  them.  For  which  reason  they  were  treated  as  schismatics  by 
the  agents  and  emissaries  of  Rome. 

It  is  certain  that  Augustine  informed  them  that  the  pope 
had  appointed  him  their  archbishop.     There  are  three  rea- 
sons for  this  assurance.     The  first  is  his  evident  vanity,  as 
seen  in  his  occupation  of  a  chair  when  courtesy,  even  in  that 
day,  required  him  to  stand.     Then,  in  answer  to  a  question 
which  he  put  to  Gregory,  "  How  are  we  to  treat  the  bishops 
of  France?"     Gregory   tells  him  that  he   "gives  him  no 
authority  over  the  bishops  of  France." '     And  he  explains 
and  enforces  his  answer  in  such  a  way,  and  to  such  an  extent, 
as  indicated  that  Gregory  was  apprehensive  lest  he  should 
attempt  to  usurp  supremacy  over  the  French  bishops.     The 
question  itself  seems  to  imply  such  a  purpose.     His  pride 
makes  it  certain  that  he  would  proclaim  himself  archbishop 
at  Augustine's  Oak.     And  it  is  very  probable  that  it  was  for 
that  purpose  that   King   Ethelbert   was   requested  to  con- 
vene the   British   bishops.      The   second   reason    is,    Pope 
Gregory  had  made  Augustine,  by  his  decree,  archbishop  of 
the  British  bishops.     The  full  question,  already  quoted  of 
Augustine  to  Gregory,  his  seventh  question  is,  "  How  are  we  to 
deal  with  the  bishops  of  France  and  Britain  ?  "    To  the  British 
part  of  the  query,  Gregory  answers  :  "  But  as  for  all  the  bishops 
of  Britain,  we  commit  them  to  your  care,  that  the  unlearned 


"  Antiquities  of  the  Christian  Church,"  Book  IX.,  chap  1,  sec.  11. 
Bede's  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  I.,  cap.  27. 


256         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH    CHURCHES. 

may  be  taught,  the  weak  strengthened  by  persuasion,  and  the 
perverse  corrected  by  authority."  Surely  the  ambitious 
Augustine,  receiving  the  oppressed  British  bishops  as  he  sat  in 
his  chair,  would  make  no  secret  of  his  papal  authority  to  rule 
them.  And  the  third  reason  is  given  in  the  answer  of  the 
British  bishops  to  Augustine  :  "  They  replied  that  they  would 
do  none  of  those  things  [demanded  by  Augustine]  nor  receive 
him  as  their  archbishop."  Here  we  have,  not  only  a  per- 
emptory refusal  to  abandon  any  of  their  religious  usages,  or 
to  yield  anything  to  him  which  he  claimed,  but  a  specific 
rejection  of  him  as  their  archbishop.  The  declinature  to  re- 
ceive him  as  archbishop  leaves  no  room  for  doubt  about  the 
announcement  by  Augustine  of  his  appointment  to  this  dig- 
nity by  Gregory.  The  Roman  Catholic  author,  Lingard, 
writes : 

As  Bede,  when  he  enumerates  the  demands  of  Augustine,  omits 
the  recognition  of  his  authority,  some  Catholic  authors  have  main- 
tained that  it  was  not  mentioned,  and  of  consequence  was  not 
rejected.  Their  opinion,  however,  is  expressly  refuted  by  Bede  him- 
self [in  the  words],  "nor  would  they  receive  him  for  [their]  arch- 
bishop." 1 

The  claim  of  Augustine  to  regulate  their  religious  obser- 
vances was  based  solely  upon  Gregory's  appointment  to  be 
their  archbishop ;  so  that  their  rejection  of  him  and  his 
ecclesiastical  directions,  were  a  contemptuous  repudiation  of 
Gregory  the  Great,  and  his  attempted  usurpations  over  them. 

There  is  another  account  of  the  meeting  of  Augustine  and 
tbe  seven  bishops,  presented  by  Sir  H.  Spelman  ^  in  Welsh, 
English,  and  Latin  ;  this  record  is  of  great  antiquity,  and  it 
corresponds  in  the  main  statements  with  Bede,  but  gives  more 
details  of  the  discussion.  It  is  of  Welsh  origin.  The  sub- 
stance of  it  is : 

That  the  abbot  of  Bangor,  in  the  name  of  the  British  churches, 
declares  that  they  owe  the  subjection  of  brotherly  kindness  and 
charity  to  the  church  of  God,  and  to  the  Pope  of  Rome,  and  to  all 

1 "  Antiquities  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  Church,"  pp.  42  43. 
2  "  Spelman  Concil.  Britan.,"  An.  GOl.    Tom.  I.,  pp.  108,  109. 


PROTESTANTISM    IN    GREAT    BRITAIN.  257 

Christians;  but  other  obedience  than  that  they  did  not  know  to  be 
due  to  him  whom  they  called  pope ;  and  for  their  part  they  were 
under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  bishop  of  Caerleon  upon  Usk,  who  was 
under  God,  their  spiritual  overseer  and  director. 

These  are  the  words  of  the  learned  Dinooth  of  Bangor; 
they  are  manly  and  truly  Christian,  but  they  do  not  go  be- 
yond the  record  of  Bede  in  rejecting  Augustine  and  Pope 
Gregory,  except  in  particularizing  their  more  general  state- 
ments. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE   ANSWER   OF   THE   BRITONS   TO   AUGUSTINE. 

Giraldus  Carabrensis  and  the  answer  of  the  Britons  to  Augustine — 
Dagan,  a  Hibernian  bishop,  refuses  to  eat  with  the  Romish  mission 
aries— Papal   bishops  reprove  the  Britons  for  their  errors— Pope 
Honorius  charges  the  Scots  with  presumption — Pope-elect  John 
follows  Honorius — Taliessyn  the  Briton  and  "  Romish  wolves." 

The  Welsh  writer/  whose  "  Topography  of  Ireland " 
and  "Conquest  of  Ireland,"  are  known  to  scholars,  works 
written  in  the  twelfth  century,  from  the  country  of  his  birth 
and  residence  might  be  supposed  to  know  better  than  many 
the  Welsh  or  ancient  British  account  of  the  conference  be- 
tween Augustine  and  the  British  bishops.     He  writes  : 

When  the  seven  bishops 'appeared,  Augustine,  sitting  in  his  chair 
with  Roman  pride,  did  not  rise  up  at  their  entrance.  Observing  his 
haughtiness  .  .  .  they  immediately  returned,  and  treated  him  and 
his  statutes  with  contempt,  publicly  proclaiming  that  they  would  not 
acknowledge  him  for  their  archbishop. 

It  is  not  surprising  that  the  British  and  Irish  Protestants 
excited  so  much  interest  in  the  hearts  of  papal  dignitaries.  In 
all  Christendom  no  class  of  men  showed  such  resolute  oppo- 
sition to  their  pretensions,  and  such  a  determination  to  shuL. 
them  and  their  communion  ;  and  yet  they  held  the  truth  in  a 
spirit  of  generous  love,  as  the  memorable  address  of  Dinooth 
at  Augustine's  Oak,  so  clearly  shows. 

About  A.  D.  605,  Laurentius,  archbishop  of  Canterbury, 
and  Mellitus  and  Justus,  "servants  of  the  servant's  God," 
addressed  a  letter  "  To  our  most  dear  brothers,  the  lords, 
bishops,  and  abbots  throughout  all  Scotland  [Ireland]."  Ac- 
cording to  Bede : 

Laurentius,  when  he  understood  that  the  course  of  life  and  profes- 
1  "  Historical  Works  of  Giraldus  Cambrensis,"  p.  418.    London.  1863. 
268 


THE   ANSWER  OF  THE   BRITONS.  259 

sion  of  the  Scots,  as  well  as  of  the  Britons  in  Britain,  were  not  truly 
ecclesiastical ;  especially  that  they  did  not  celebrate  the  solemnity  of 
Easter  at  the  due  time  ;  .  .  .  wrote  jointly  with  his  fellow-bishops 
an  exhortatory  epistle,  entreating  and  conjuring  unity  of  peace,  and 
conformity  with  the  church  of  Christ  spread  throughout  the  world. 

From  the  letter  of  Laurentius,  we  learn  that  such  was  the 
odiousness  of  a  Romish  clergyman  to  a  Scot,  that  Dagan,  one 
of  that  nation,  informed  him  that  the  Scots  hated  Romish 
institutions  as  much  as  the  Britons ;  and  "  Bishop  Dagan," 
Laurentius  writes,  "  not  only  refused  to  eat  with  us,  but  even 
to  take  his  repast  in  the  same  house  where  we  were  enter- 
tained." ^  This  letter  was  written  about  two  years  after  the 
synod  at  Augustine's  Oak ;  and  it  shows  the  intense  love 
which  the  Scots  and  Britons  had  for  the  freedom  of  their 
church  from  the  rule  of  popes. 

Bede  says :  "  The  same  Laurentius  and  his  fellow-bishops 
wrote  a  letter  to  the  priests  of  the  Britons,  suitable  to  his 
rank  [probably  as  their  Rome-made  archbishop],  by  which 
he  endeavored  to  confirm  them  in  [Roman]  Catholic  unity." 
But  no  success  attended  this  effort.  This  epistle,  like  the  one 
sent  to  the  Scots,  is  dated  a.  d.  605.     Twenty-nine  years  later 

Pope  Honorius  wrote  to  the  Scots  whom  he  had  found  to  err  in  the 
observance  of  Easter,  earnestly  exhorting  them  not  to  think  their 
small  number,  placed  in  the  utmost  borders  of  the  earth,  wiser  than 
all  the  ancient  and  modern  churches  of  Christ  throughout  the  world, 
and  not  to  celebrate  a  different  Easter,  contrary  to  the  paschal  calcu- 
lation and  the  synodical  decrees  of  all  the  bishops  upon  earth.'' 

The  argument  that  small  numbers  and  remoteness  of  habi- 
tation detract  from  the  worth  of  an  opinion  was  not  original 
in  conception.  A  Greek  philosopher  in  Athens  could  have 
used  this  argument  with  quite  as  much  force  against  the 
"  Carpenter's  Son  "  and  his  fishermen  followers  meeting  in  an 
upper  room ;  or  even  against  Jerusalem  itself,  his  home  for  a 
time,  a  city  far  from  the  culture,  the  arts,  the  literature,  and 
the  secular  glories  of  the  old  world.     But  the  Scots,  though 

1  Bede's  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  II.,  cap.  4. 
•J  Ibid.,  cap.  19. 


260        ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH  CHURCHES. 

few  in  number  compared  to  the  whole  Christian  world,  and 
remote  from  Rome,  and  other  great  centres  of  population  and 
wealth,  exerted  a  vast  influence  upon  the  evangelization  and 
education  of  several  nations. 

John  IV.,  when  pope-elect,  about  A.  d.  689,  wrote  to  the 
Scots  a  letter  about  Easter  and  the  Pelagian  heresy.  His 
treatment  of  the  Easter  controversy,  according  to  Bede,  was 
marked  "  by  great  authority  and  erudition  for  correcting 
the  same  error."  ^  The  Roman  see  was  vacant  at  the  death 
of  Severinus,  John's  predecessor,  four  months  and  twenty-four 
days;  and  though  John  was  chosen  a  few  days  after  the 
death  of  Severinus,  he  had  to  remain  without  ordination  dur- 
ing weary  months,  and  "  without  being  a  true  pope,  until  he  was 
confirmed  by  the  emperor."  ^  The  pope-elect  must  take  a  hand 
in  the  popular  Romish  warfare  upon  the  Easter  of  the  Scots. 
They  were  not  Romanists,  and  no  opportunity  to  scourge 
their  schism  must  be  passed  by  unimproved.  John  took  upon 
him  this  odious  office,  because  of  a  letter  from  some  Scots  sent 
to  Pope  Severinus,  which  reached  Rome  after  his  death. 

On  the  death  of  Deusdedit,  Archbishop  of  Canterbury, 
kings  Oswy,  of  Northumbria,  and  Egbert,  of  Kent,  sent  Wig- 
hard  to  Rome  to  be  consecrated  by  the  pope  as  his  successor. 
But  Wighard  died  suddenly  at  Rome  before  his  consecra- 
tion. After  his  decease  in  a.  d.  665,  Pope  Vitalian  wrote  a 
letter  to  King  Oswy  about  filling  the  vacancy  in  Canterbury, 
in  which  he  says  :  "  By  the  protecting  hand  of  God  you  have 
been  converted  to  the  true  and  apostolic  faith."  This  oc- 
curred in  A.  D.  664,  when  he  apostatized  from  the  commu- 
nion of  the  godly  Scots  to  that  of  Rome.  According  to  Vita- 
lian, the  faith  of  the  Scots  was  not  the  "  true  apostolic  faith," 
but  a  creed  so  unholy  that  "the  protecting  hand  of  God" 
was  employed  in  rescuing  him  from  it.  In  this  letter,  after 
advising  Oswy  "  in  all  things  to  follow  continually  the  pious 
rule  of  the  prince  of  the  apostles  in  celebrating  Easter" 

»  Bede's"  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  II.,  cap.  19. 

2  Bower's  "  History  of  the  Popes,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  438. 


THE   ANSWER  OF  THE  BRITONS.  261 

[Romish  Easter,  which  he  accepted  about  a  year  before], 
he  adds  :  "  As  ^  soon  as  such  a  proper  person  [for  archbishop 
of  Canterbury]  shall  be  found,  we  will  send  him,  well  in- 
structed, to  your  country,  that  he  may  by  word  of  mouth,  and 
through  the  divine  oracles,  with  the  assistance  of  God,  root 
out  all  the  enemy's  tares  throughout  your  island."  The  tares 
were  the  doctrines  and  practices  of  the  Scottish  apostles  of 
two-thirds  of  the  Anglo  Saxons. 

It  is  not  surprising  that  Roman  Catholic  abuse  stirred  up 
indignation  even  among  the  noblest  of  the  Scots  and  Britons. 
Taliessyn,  in  the  early  part  of  the  seventh  century,  was  prob- 
ably the  most  eloquent  man  among  the  ancient  Britons. 
He  was  honored  with  the  title  of  Ben  Beirdh,  that  is,  chief 
of  the  bards  or  wisemen.  He  thus  describes  one  of  the  battles 
of  Urien : 

When  the  shouts  of  the  Britons  ascended  louder  than  the  roaring 
of  the  waves  upon  the  storm-tossed  shore,  neither  field  nor  forest 
afforded  safety  to  the  foe.  I  saw  the  warriors  in  their  brave  array ! 
I  saw  them  after  the  morning's  strife  1  Oh,  how  altered!  I  saw  the 
conflict  between  the  perishing  hosts ;  thj  blood  that  gushed  forth  and 
soaked  the  ground  red.  The  valley  that  was  defended  by  a  rampart 
was  no  longer  green.  Wan,  weary  men,  pale  with  affright  and 
stained  with  blood,  dropped  their  arms  and  staggered  across  the 
ford.  I  saw  Urien  with  his  red  brow;  his  sword  fell  on  the  bucklers 
of  his  enemies  with  deadly  force ;  he  rushed  on  them  like  an  eagle 
enraged.2 

Taliessyn  wrote  the  original  of  which  the  following  is  Arch- 
bishop Ussher's  translation : 

Wo  be  to  that  priest  yborn, 

That  will  not  cleanly  weed  his  corn 

And  preach  his  charge  among ; 
Wo  be  to  that  shepherd  (I  say) 
That  will  not  watch  his  fold  alway, 

As  to  his  office  doth  belong; 
Wo  be  to  him  that  doth  not  keep 
From  Romish  wolves  his  sheep 

With  staff  and  weapon  strong.' 

1  Bede's  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  III.,  cap  29. 

2  Alexander's  "  Ancient  British  Church,"  p.  186.     London. 
5  Ussher's  "Works,"  Vol.  IV.,  p.  352. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

PERSECUTION   OF   THE   SCOTS. 

Persecution  of  the  Scots  by  the  Romanists — Lingard's  apology  for 
such  wrongs— The  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  a  religious  tyrant — 
The  council  of  Hertford  denounces  Scottish  Easter — The  ordination 
of  Scots  and  Britons  condemned— British  and  Scottish  church 
edifices  need  a  Romish  reconsecration — Aldhelm's  famous  work 
against  the  error  of  the  Britons— The  Britons  of  South  Wales  detest 
every  Romish  usage — The  papal  council  of  Celychyth  forbade  the 
Scots  to  officiate  in  English  churches. 

The  circumstances  attending  the  expulsion  of  the  Scots 
from  England,  show  that  the  Romanists  regarded  them 
as  dangerous  heretics,  unworthy  of  toleration.  The  simple 
condemnation  of  their  cause  at  Whitby,  through  the  hypocrisy 
and  malice  of  Oswy,  was  a  small  matter.  It  would  never 
have  removed  Colman  and  his  friends  from  their  dear 
Northumbrian  converts.  Persecution  drove  them  from  their 
homes,  pulpits,  and  flocks.  King  Alfrid,  the  son  of  Eanfleda 
and  Oswy,  received  the  kingdom  of  Deira,  one  of  the  two 
provinces  of  Northumbria,  from  his  father.  In  it  he  gave  the 
monastery  of  Ripon  with  land  for  thirty  families  to  Wilfrid  ; 
the  land  he  had  previously  granted  to  the  Scots  for  a  monas- 
tery, which  they  had  built.  After  AVilfrid  returned  from 
Rome,  the  king  allowed  the  Scots  their  choice ;  either  to  re- 
tain his  gift,  enriched  by  their  own  toils,  and  give  up  their 
principles,  "  adopting  the  Catholic  Easter  and  other  canonical 
rites,  according  to  the  custom  of  the  Roman  apostolic  church  "; 
or  preserve  their  principles  with  a  good  conscience,  and  he 
wouJd  resume  his  gift  of  the  land  without  allowing  anything 
f  )r  their  buildings,  and  bestow  it,  as  Bede  relates,  "  upon  him 
whom  he  found  to  follow  better  discipline  and  better  cus- 
toms." Wilfrid,  in  accepting  this  donation  without  paying 
262 


PEHSECUTION   OF   THE   SCOTS.  263 

for  the  improvements,  acted  dishonestly.  Bede  further  repre- 
sents this  robbery  of  men,  who  preferred  a  good  conscience  to 
the  loss  of  everything,  as  followed  by  expulsion.  He  says,  "  The 
king,  not  long  after  having  discovered  and  banished  the  Scot- 
tish sect,  as  was  said  above,"  ^  etc.  This  was  the  penalty  King 
Alfrid  cruelly  inflicted  upon  ministers  of  the  Scottish  com- 
munion, with  the  full  approbation  of  Oswy,  his  father,  the 
supreme  sovereign  of  his  kingdom  of  Deira.  Banishment 
from  the  country  was  the  doom  of  the  entire  Scottish  clergy 
who  would  not  conform  to  Romanism.  Dr.  Lingard,  while 
admitting  the  violence  of  the  controversy  between  the  Scots 
and  Romanists  in  Northumbria,  forgets  to  tell  that  it  all  arose 
from  the  Roman  Catholics  trying  to  force  the  Protestant  Scots 
to  abandon  their  own  usages  and  adopt  the  Romanist.  "  The 
great  objects,"  writes  this  historian,  "  which  called  forth  the 
zeal  and  divided  the  harmony  of  these  holy  men  [Scots  and 
Romanists],  regarded  not  the  essentials  of  Christianity."^  And 
yet  his  Romish  brethren  plundered  and  banished  the  holy 
Scots  for  non-essentials,  because  they  belonged  to  a  commu- 
Dion  much  more  scriptural,  and,  excepting  a  few  men  like 
Bede,  with  a  much  holier  membership. 

It  is  a  little  singular  to  see  men  like  Lingard,  and  Alban 
Butler,  author  of  "The  Lives  of  the  Saints,"  write  St  Col- 
umba,  St  Columbanus,  St.  Fursey,  St  Boisil,  and  St  Aidan. 
These  men  were  scholarly  Romish  historians,  and  frequently, 
though  not  invariably,  fair;  and  the  parties  named  are 
"  sainted "  by  them,  though  as  good  Protestants  as  Philip 
Melancthon,  the  associate  of  Luther  in  the  glorious  Reforma- 
tion. And  yet  Lingard  is  the  apologist  of  the  persecutors 
of  the  Scots.     He  writes  : 

The  termination  of  this  controversy  has  subjected  the  successful 
party  to  the  severe  but  witnerited  censures  of  several  late  historians. 
They  affect  to  consider  the  Scottish  monks  as  an  injured  and  perse- 
cuted class,   and  declaim   with    suspicious  vehemence  against    the 

1  Bede's  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  V.,  cap.  19. 

2  "  Antiquiiies  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  Church,"  p.  35. 


264        ANCIENT  BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

haughty  and  intolerant  spirit  of  the  Roman  clergy.  But  if  uniformity 
were  desirable,  it  could  only  be  obtained  by  the  submisson  or  retreat 
of  one  of  the  contending  parties;  and  certainly  it  was  unreasonable 
to  expect  that  those  who  observed  the  discipline  which  universally 
prevailed  among  the  Christians  of  the  continent  should  tamely  yield 
to  the  pretensions  of  a  few  obscure  churches  on  the  remotest  coast  of 
Britain.  ^ 

This  statement  assumes  really,  though  not  in  words,  that 
uniformity,  even  though  obtained  by  force,  was  necessary. 
The  Scots  did  not  regard  compulsory  uniformity  as  necessary, 
and  never  sought  it  upon  any  occasion.  Roman  Catholics 
have  always  tried  to  secure  it,  when  they  could  "  obtain  the 
submission  or  retreat"  of  Protestants,  even  when  the  "sub- 
mission "  came  through  imprisonment  or  shocking  tortures, 
and  the  "  retreat "  through  an  untimely  grave.  Roman 
Catholic  Lingard,  who  died  so  lately  as  1851,  the  best  in- 
formed Romanist  in  early  Anglo-Saxon  literature  who  has 
lived  for  centuries,  who  received,  according  to  common  Eng- 
lish usage,  from  the  crown  for  his  learned  historical  services  a 
pension  of  fifteen  hundred  dollars  a  year ;  even  he  says  that 
the  "censures  "  pronounced  against  the  Romish  persecutors, 
who  compelled  the  Scottish  Protestants  and  their  converts  in 
Northumbria,  in  the  seventh  century,  to  accept  Romanism  or 
fly  into  Scotland,  were  "unmerited."  If  similar  treatment 
were  given  to  Romanists,  its  iniquity  would  be  denounced  in 
all  the  papal  histories  of  the  world,  where  there  was  any  pre- 
tense for  its  presence.  But  the  Protestant  and  Romish  com- 
nmnities  stand  out  distinctly  in  Northumbria,  about  A.  d. 
664  for  toleration.  Religious  uniformity,  enforced  by  bodily 
suffering,  is  an  invention  of  Satan. 

When  Theodore  became  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  in  A. 
D.  668,  though  he  was  then  an  old  man,  he  speedily  began  to 
show  remarkable  industry,  and  acted  as  if  he  owned  the  Eng- 
lish Church,  and  could  do  as  he  pleased  with  its  bishops  and 
people  ;  as  the  venerable  John  Fox  says,  "  Theodore,  being 

1  "  Antiquities  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  Church,"  pp.  38,  39. 


PERSECUTION   OF   THE   SCOTS.  265 

made  archbishop  of  Canterbury  began  to  play  the  'Bex' 
[king],  placing  and  displacing  bishops  at  his  pleasure."  One 
of  the  favorite  instruments  which  he  employed  for  this  pur- 
pose, was  a  council,  or  "  synod  of  bishops,  and  many  other 
teachers  of  the  church."  At  the  synod  of  Hertford,  held  in 
A.  D.  673,  as  Fox  says,  he  played  the  "  Rex  "  by  reading  ten 
canons,  and  securing  their  unanimous  adoption.  The  first  of 
these  canons  is :  "  That  we  all  in  common  keep  the  holy  day  of 
Easter  on  the  Sunday  after  the  fourteenth  moon  of  the  first 
month."  This  is  a  condemnation  of  the  Easter  of  the  Scots 
at  the  beginning  of  his  list  of  canons.  Though  their  leaders 
were  gone,  their  people  cherished  their  instructions  still.  The 
sixth  canon  reads :  "  That  bishops  and  clergymen  when  travel- 
ing, shall  be  content  with  the  hospitality  that  is  afforded  them, 
and  that  it  shall  not  be  lawful  for  them  to  exercise  any  priestly 
function  without  leave  of  the  bishop  in  whose  diocese  they 
are."  This  is  a  mere  translation  of  the  canon  ;  John  Fox 
gives  a  translation,  which  is  something  of  a  paraphrase  as 
well.     His  version  is : 

That  foreign  bishops  and  clergymen  coming  into  the  realm  should 
be  content  only  with  the  benefit  of  such  hospitality  as  should  be 
offered  them;  neither  should  intermeddle  any  further  within  the 
precinct  of  any  bishop,  without  his  special  permission.  ^ 

There  is  no  ground  for  doubting  that  this  was  aimed  at 
Scottish  clergymen  coming  to  see  their  old  converts  and 
brethren.  Fox  evidently  thought  so  when  he  translated  the 
first  part  of  the  canon,  "foreign  bishops  and  clergymen."  And 
the  attack  upon  the  Easter  time  of  the  Scots,  in  the  first 
canon,  strongly  confirms  this  opinion.  The  absent  Scots  are 
assailed  in  this  synod  as  Protestant  enemies  of  Rome. 

Ussher  quotes  several  decrees  which  were  adopted  by  some 
of  the  Saxon  bishops,  probably  in  Theodore's  day,  of  the 
genuineness  of  which  he  had  no  doubt.  One  of  these  reads : 
"  Such  as   have  received  ordination  from  the  bishops  of  the 

1  Fox's  "  Acts  and  Monuments,"  Vol.  I.,  pp.  355,  356.    London,  1841. 
X 


266         ANCIENT   BRITISH    AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

Scots,  or  the  Britons,  who  in  the  matter  of  Easter  and  ton- 
sure are  not  united  unto  the  Catholic  Church,  let  them  be 
again  by  imposition  of  hands  confirmed  by  a  Catholic 
bishop."^  This  was  simply  a  declaration  that  the  churches  of 
the  Scots  and  Britons  were,  in  principle,  hostile  to  Romanists, 
and  outside  of  their  communion  altogether. 

The  same  decree  of  the  Saxon  bishops,  in  Ussher,  further 
enjoined,  "  In  like  manner  also  let  the  churches  that  have 
been  ordered  [  governed  ]  by  those  bishops  [  British  and  Scot- 
tish ]  ,  be  sprinkled  with  exorcised  water,  and  confirmed  with 
some  [religious]  service."  This  is  just  what  Pope  Gregory 
commanded  Augustine  to  do  with  the  pagan  temples  of  the 
Anglo-Saxons.  He  says :  "  The  temples  of  the  idols  in  that 
nation  [  the  English  ]  ought  not  to  be  destroyed,  but  let  the 
idols  that  are  in  them  be  destroyed  ;  let  holy  water  be  made 
and  sprinkled  in  the  said  temples."  ^  We  have  an  extraor- 
dinary exhibition  of  the  breadth  and  depth  of  the  gulf  which 
the  Romanists  beheld  between  themselves  and  the  Britons. 
Says  Ussher  : 

One  of  the  instructions  that  the  Romans  gave  the  Saxons,  was 
this.  You  must  beware  that  causes  be  not  referred  to  other  provinces 
or  churches  which  use  another  manner  and  another  religion;  whether 
to  the  Jews,  who  serve  the  shadow  of  the  law  rather  than  the  truth, 
or  to  the  Britons,  who  are  contrary  unto  all  men,  and  have  cut  them- 
selves off  from  the  Roman  manner,  and  the  unity  of  the  church. ^ 

Aldhelm,  in  a.  d.  705,  "  by  order  of  a  synod,  wrote  a  nota- 
ble book  against  the  error  of  the  Britons,  in  not  celebrating 
Easter  at  the  proper  time,  and  in  doing  several  other  things 
not  consonant  to  the  purity  and  peace  of  the  church."  This 
work  is  only  a  small  tract,  and  yet  it  made  a  great  sensation, 
chiefly  because  it  appeared  in  the  infancy  of  Anglo-Saxon 
authorship.  It  has  for  centuries  excited  unusual  attention, 
because  of  its  account  of  British  opposition  to  Romanism  ;  in 
this  book,  Lingard  says  : 

1  Ussher's  "Works,"   Vol,  IV.,  p.  350.    Erlington  ed.,  Dublin. 

2  Bede's  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  I.,  cap.  30. 

3  Ussher's  "  Works,"  Vol.  IV.,  pp.  350,  351. 


PERSECUTION    OF   THE   SCOTS.  267 

St.  Aldhelm  assures  "  us  that  the  clergy  of  Demetia  [  South  "Wales] 
carried  their  abhorrence  of  the  Catholic  discipline  to  such  an  ex- 
treme, that  they  punished  the  most  trivial  conformity  with  a  long 
course  of  penance,  and  purified  with  fanatic  scrupulosity  every  uten- 
sil which  had  been  contaminated  by  the  touch  of  a  Roman  or  a 
Saxon  priest.^ 

This  letter  furnishes  increased  evidence  that  the  ancient 
Britons  had  no  connection  with  the  Romish  church.  The 
forty  days  which  Aldhelm  calls  days  of  penance,  may  have 
been  merely  days  of  instruction  and  probation,  to  fit  them  for 
membership  in  a  purer  church. 

The  council  of  Celychyth,  or  Calcuith,  was  held  in  Eng- 
land in  A.  D.  816.  It  enacted  eleven  canons,  the  fifth  of 
which  decreed,  "  that  none  of  the  Scottish  race  (  de  genere 
Scottorum)  be  permitted  to  usurp  to  himself  the  sacred  min- 
istry in  any  one's  diocese  .  .  .  because  we  are  not  certain 
how,  or  by  whom,  they  were  ordained."  ^  Du  Pin  gives  as 
the  meaning  of  this  canon  that  "no  Irishman  be  suffered  to 
discharge  any  ecclesiastical  function  out  of  his  own  country."^ 

From  this  canon  of  the  early  part  of  the  ninth  century,  it 
is  clear  that  the  Romish  clergy  of  England  regarded  the 
Scottish  church  as  an  outlawed  community,  whose  clergy  must 
be  ordained  by  Romish  ecclesiastics  before  they  could  offici- 
ate in  England  ;  and  whose  churches  must  be  rededicated, 
and  "  sprinkled  with  exorcised  water,  and  confirmed  with 
some  [religious]  service."  Westminster  Abbey,  from  a.  D. 
1065  to  1483,  received,  in  whole  or  in  part,  not  less  than  six 
or  eight  consecrations  and  holy  sprinklings.  If  by  permission 
of  Providence,  as  a  scourge  to  England  and  the  British  race 
over  the  world,  this  grand  temple,  the  creation  of  centuries, 
the  collective  monument  of  many  great  Anglo-Saxons,  should 
fall  into  the  hands  of  Romanists,  it  would  be  consecrated 
again,  and  once  more  "  sprinkled  with  exorcised  water,"  to 
purify  it  from  the   Rome-abhorred  exercises  of  Protestant 

1 ''  The  Antiquities  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  Church,"  p.  39     Phila. 

2  "  Spelm.,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  329.      Wilkins'  "  Concilia,"  Lib.  I.,  p.  170. 

3  Du  Pin's  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  107.    Dublin. 


268         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH    CHURCHES. 

worship.  This  is  the  spirit  of  the  fifth  canon  of  the  council  of 
Celychyth.  Though  lona  had  given  up  her  Easter  time 
ninety-nine  years  before  the  synod  of  Celychyth  assembled, 
the  attitude  of  the  Scots,  in  Britain  and  Ireland,  toward 
Rome  was  still  hostile;  and  the  fifth  canon  of  Celychyth 
shows  that  the  Romish  bishops  of  England  regarded  them 
with  contempt  and  malignity. 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE   INFLUENCE   OF   IRISH   MISSIONARIES. 

The  popes  afraid  of  the  influence  of  Irish  missionaries— Warning 
epistles  from  Gregory  III.— The  oath  of  Bishop  Boniface  against 
heretics— Protestant  Hibernian  missionaries  occasioned  that  oath — 
An  archbishop  has  no  authority  without  a  pall— None  in  Ireland 
until  the  twelfth  century— The  Celtic  church  of  Ireland  outside  of 
the  Koman  communion  until  that  time— The  Danes,  who  held  Dub- 
lin, Waterford,  and  Liinerick,  were  Catholics  sooner— St.  Bernard  of 
Clairvaux  on  the  absence  of  Komish  authority  and  palls  in  Ireland 
until  the  twelfth  century. 

Even  the  pope  was  afraid  of  the  Protestant  spirit  of  the 
continental  missionaries  from  the  British  islands. 

If  the  more  free-minded  British  and  Irish  missionaries,  scattered 
among  the  German  populations,  had  succeeded  in  gaining  the  pre- 
ponderance, there  would  have  gone  forth  from  the  German  Church 
a  reaction  [from  Romanism]  of  free  Christian  development.  At 
Rome  the  danger  which  threatened  from  this  quarter  was  well  under- 
stood; and  the  formal  oath  prescribed  [by  the  pope]  to  Boniface  [the 
apostle  of  Germany],  was  doubtless  expressly  intended  for  the  pur- 
pose of  warding  off  this  danger  and  of  making  Boniface  the  instru- 
ment of  the  Roman  Church  system,  for  suppressing  the  freer  institu- 
tions which  sprung  from  the  British  and  Irish  churches.  The  purpose 
of  his  mission  was  not  barely  to  convert  the  pagans,  but  quite  as  much 
also  to  bring  back  those  whom  the  hereticks  had  led  astray,  to  ortho- 
doxy and  to  obedience  to  the  Roman  Church. ^ 

Neander  quotes  an  old  report  of  the  errand  of  Boniface, 
the  apostle  of  Germany,  in  which  his  mission  is  thus  de- 
scribed: "He  should  go  beyond  the  Alps,  where  heresy 
chiefly  flourished,  and  he  should  utterly  destroy  it  with  sound 
doctrine."  He  quotes  epistle  forty-five,  of  Pope  Gregory  HI., 
addressed  to  the  bishops  of  Bavaria  and  Germany,  admonish- 
iag  them  to  adopt  the  liturgy  and  creed  according  to  the 

1  Neander's  "  General  History  of  the  Church,"  Vol,  III.,  p.  49.    Boston. 

269 


270         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

model  of  the  Roman  apostolic  Church  ;  and  to  heware  of  the 
doctrine  of  the  Britons  corning  \_among  them~\  ,  or  of  false  and 
heretical  priests.''  He  also  quotes  epistle  six,  of  the  same 
pope,  addressed  to  the  German  bishops  and  dukes,  stating 
that  the  object  of  the  mission  of  Boniface  was  partly  to  con- 
vert the  heathen,  and  partly  to  correct  those  who  were  led  into 
heresy  by  diabolical  craft. 

Boniface,  who  reorganized  the  German  church  in  the  inter- 
est of  the  pope,  was  persuaded  by  him  to  take  an  oath^  of 
special  solemnity  "  to  blessed  Peter  and  to  blessed  Gregory, 
your  vicar,"  in  which  he  pledged  himself : 

To  maintain  to  the  last,  with  the  help  of  God,  the  purity  and  unity 
of  the  holy  Catholic  faith  ;  to  consent  to  nothing  contrary  to  either  ; 
to  consult  in  all  things  the  interests  of  your  church,  and  in  all  things 
to  concur  with  you,  to  whom  power  has  been  given  of  binding  and 
loosening,  with  your  above-mentioned  vicar,  and  with  his  successors. 
If  I  shall  hear  of  an3''  bishops  acting  contrary  to  the  ca7ions,  I  shall 
not  cotnmicnicate  with  theyn,  nor  entertain  any  cotnmerce  with  them, 
but  I  will  re2-)rove  them  and  hinder  thetn  if  I  can  ;  if  I  cannot  I  shall 
acquaint  therewith  my  lord,  the  pope.  If  I  do  not  faithfully  perform 
what  I  now  promise,  may  I  be  found  guilty  at  the  tribunal  of  the 
eternal  Judge,  and  incur  the  punishment  inflicted  by  you  on  Ananias 
and  Sapphira,  who  presumed  to  deceive  and  defraud  you. 

This  shocking  oath  has  two  principal  objects.  The  first  is, 
the  unity  of  the  faith,  that  is,  the  suppression  of  every  form 
of  Christian  belief  at  variance  with  Romanism  ;  to  accom- 
plish this,  Boniface  must  sacrifice  everything  to  the  advance- 
ment of  his  church ;  if  any  clergymen  or  bishops,  like  the 
Hibernian  Scots,  show  contempt  for  popish  canons,  lie  must 
have  no  fellowship  or  connection  with  them ;  if  he  is  able  he 
must  hinder  them ;  and  failing  in  this,  like  a  hired  detective 
of  the  pope,  he  must  report  "  to  his  lord  "  at  Rome  the 
spiritual  rebellion  of  these  Protestant  ecclesiastics.  The 
second  object  of  the  oath  was  to  make  him  a  slave  of  the 
pope ;  it  requires  him  "  in  all  things  to  concur  with  the  pope." 
Hence  it  follows  that  however  widely  his  opinions,  or  his  pro;- 
posed  efforts  might  differ  from  the  pope's,  his  oath  compelled 

I  Othlon,  in  "  Vita  Bonifac,"  Lib.  II,,  cap.  1, 14,  20. 


THE  INFLUENCE  OF  IRISH   MISSIONARIES.        271 

him  "  to  concur  in  all  tilings  "  with  the  Bishop  of  Rome.  As 
the  heathen  in  Burma,  who  knew  Dr.  Judson  for  years,  were 
accustomed  to  speak  of  him  as  "  Jesus  Christ's  man,"  because 
they  saw  that  his  sole  business  in  their  country  was  to  serve 
the  Saviour  in  all  his  words  and  ways,  and  to  enlist  every  one 
for  the  same  blessed  employment,  so  rugged  Boniface  was 
bound  by  his  oath  to  be  the  pope's  man  in  all  things,  and 
chiefly  in  destroying  the  influence  of  Protestant  missionaries 
from  the  British  islands  in  Germany. 

This  was  the  first  oath  of  obedience  taken  to  the  pope  by 
any  bishop  in  Christendom,  outside  of  his  own  province  as 
Bishop  of  Rome.  Boniface  kept  his  oath,  and  was  at  gi  eat 
pains,  not  only  in  Germany,  but  in  France,  to  bring  all  other 
bishops  into  the  abject  slavery  to  which  he  himself  had  so 
meanly,  and  in  view  of  his  Anglo-Saxon  origin,  so  disgrace- 
fully submitted.^ 

This  wretched  oath  of  Boniface  was  the  beginning  of  the 
oath  which  to-day  binds  in  slavery  to  the  pope  all  the  Romish 
bishops  of  the  world.  It  is  one  of  the  most  nefarious  oaths 
ever  imposed  by  any  ecclesiastical  authority,  or  taken  by  any 
clergyman,  since  the  Saviour's  birth  ;  yet  every  Roman  Cath- 
olic bishop  takes  it  at  his  consecration.  Two  clauses  of  it 
are: 

I  will,  with  all  my  power,  observe,  and  cause  others  to  observe,  the 
rules  of  the  holy  fathers,  the  apostolic  [the  pope's]  decrees,  or- 
dinances or  dispositions,  provisions  and  commands.  To  the  utmost 
of  my  power  I  will  persecute  and  attack  hereticks,  schismatics,  and 
rebels  against  the  same  our  lord,  or  his  aforesaid  successors.^ 

No  matter  how  independent  a  Romish  bishop  may  be,  or 
benevolent,  or  intellectual,  and  there  are  many  of  these  in  the 
church  of  the  popes,  he  is  a  general  in  the  pope's  army ;  he 
has  taken  the  oath  of  allegiance  ;  the  eyes  of  the  ofiicers  are 
upon  him,  and  multitudes  of  the  rank  and  file ;  and  when 
the  army  moves  he  must  go  wuth  it ;  when  it  fights  he  must 

1  Bower's  "  History  of  the  Popes,"  Vol.  IT.,  pp.  23,  24, 

2  "Pontificale  Romanum,"  pp.  59-61.    Antwerp,  1758. 


272         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

share  in  the  wrongs  it  inflicts,  and  in  the  wounds  it  receives. 
In  short,  he  is  not  his  own  master  ;  the  pope  looks  after  that 
matter  for  him,  and  his  only  remedy  is  to  drop  his  weapons 
and  uniform,  break  his  detestable  oath,  and  desert  to  truth, 
the  true  saints,  and  to  God  our  ISaviour.  It  is  strange  that 
the  success  of  saintly  ministers  from  the  British  islands,  in 
France  and  Germany,  should  have  prompted  the  manufac- 
ture of  odious  chains  for  Romish  bishops  by  the  popes,  which 
they  have  been  wearing  for  more  than  eleven  hundred  years. 
Practically  the  pall,  or  pallium,  is  the  popes'  commission  to 
an  archbishop.  They  gradually  secured  the  introduction 
of  this  insignia  of  office,  until  in  process  of  time  every  metro- 
politan in  Western  Europe  was  compelled  to  receive  one.  This 
was  secured  for  France  in  a.  d.  742,  in  a  council,  by  the 
apostle  of  the  Germans,  Boniface.^  But  long  before  his  time 
a  Romish  pall  was  regarded  with  reverence,  and  subjected 
its  recipient  in  some  measure  to  the  bishop  of  Rome.  Accord- 
ing to  Lingard :  "  At  the  period  in  which  our  ancestors  were 
converted,  no  archbishop  was  permitted  to  perform  the  most 
important  of  his  functions,  until  he  had  obtained  the  pall 
from  the  hands  of  the  pontiff"."  ^  The  period  referred  to  is 
the  end  of  the  sixth  and  the  beginning  of  the  seventh  century. 
Says  Archbishop  Ussher,  speaking  of  Ireland  : 

This  country,  for  the  number  of  holy  men  that  lived  in  it,  was  here- 
tofore termed  the  "Island  of  Saints"  ;  of  that  innumerable  company 
of  saints,  whose  memory  was  reverenced  here,  what  one  received  any 
solemn  canonization  from  the  pope,  before  Malachi  of  Armagh  and 
Laurence  of  Dublin  ?  We  read  of  sundry  archbishops  that  have  been 
in  this  land  between  the  days  of  St.  Patrick  and  of  Malachi;  what 
one  of  them  can  be  named  that  ever  sought  a  pall  from  Home  ?  The  au- 
thor of  the  "Annals  of  Mailros"  [Melrosel  writes,  "In  the  year  a.  i>. 
1151,  Pope  Eugenius,  to  whom  St.  Bernard  wrote  his  book,  De  Con- 
aideratione,  did,  by  his  legate,  John  Paparo,  transmit  four  palls  into 
Ireland,  whither  a  pall  hefore  had  never  heen  brought."  Therefore 
Giraldus  Cambrensis,^  though  he  acknowledges  that  St.  Patrick  chose 

1  Collier's"  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Vol.  I.,  pp.  160-163.    London,  1840. 

2  Linenrd's  "  Antiquities  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  Church,"  p.  105.     Phila. 

3  "  Topography  of  Ireland,"  Dist.  III.,  cap.  17. 


THE   INFLUENCE   OF   IRISH   MISSIONARIES.        273 

Armagh  for  his  seat,  and  did  appoint  it  to  be,  as  it  were,  a  metropoli- 
tan see,  and  the  proper  place  for  the  primacy  of  all  Ireland,  yet  doth 
affirm  withal,  that  in  very  deed  "  there  were  no  archbishops  in  Ire- 
land, but  that  bishops  only  did  consecrate  one  another  until  John 
Paparo,  the  pope's  legate,  brought  four  palls  thither"  ;  whereupon 
some  of  our  chroniclers  after  him,  state  concerning  Gelasius,  at  that 
time  archbishop  of  Armagh,  "  that  he  is  said  to  have  been  the  first 
archbishop,  because  he  used  the  first  pall,  and  that  others  before  him 
were  called  archbishops  and  primates  in  name  only,  for  the  reverence 
of  St.  Patrick,  as  the  apostle  of  that  nation."  ^ 

It  is  remarkable  that  the  Irish  church  maintained  its  inde- 
pendence of  Rome  to  such  a  late  date.  In  the  twelfth  cen- 
tury it  submitted  to  the  pope  for  the  first  time  in  its  history. 
The  Danes  of  Dublin,  Waterford,  and  Limerick,  converted 
descendants  of  the  robbers,  incendiaries,  and  murderers  who 
tormented  Britain  and  Ireland  with  savage  ferocity,  hated  the 
Irish  people  and  their  church,  and  became  Roman  Catholics, 
holding  communion  with  the  archbishop  of  Canterbury  at  an 
earlier  day  ;  but  the  Irish  people  resisted  Romanism  until  the 
time  of  Malachi,  who  became  their  primate  about  a.  d.  1134. 
Through  his  influence  chiefly  his  countrymen  submitted  to 
the  pope.     According  to  the  learned  Bower  :  "^ 

In  A.  D.  1153,  the  pontiff  sent  John  Paparo  into  Ireland  with  four 
palls  for  four  bishops  of  that  kingdom,  namely,  of  Armagh,  Dublin, 
Cashel,  and  Tuam.  On  his  arrival  he  disposed  of  the  palls  as  he  had 
been  directed.  Thus  were  four  archbishoprics  established  this  year 
in  the  kingdom  of  Ireland. 

So  that  St.  Patrick's  archbishopric  of  Armagh  was  reck- 
oned as  nothing,  though  it  was  founded  more  than  seven 
hundred  years  before,  because  it  had  never  received  the  Rom- 
ish pall  until  John  Paparo  left  it  for  Armagh. 

The  account  of  the  Irish  church  left  by  the  famous  St. 
Bernard,  abbot  of  Clairvaux,  in  France,  in  his  "Life  of 
St.  Malachi,"  is  of  unusual  importance.      Of  him,  Bayle^ 


1  Ussher's  "  W^orks,"  Vol.  IV.,  pp.  319,  320,  321. 

2  Bower's  "  History  of  the  Popes,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  481. 

3  Bayle's  "  Dictionary,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  772.    London,  1734. 


274         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHUF.CHES. 

writes :  "  St.  Bernard  flourished  in  the  twelfth  century.  He 
acquired  so  great  an  esteem,  that  the  whole  weight  of  the 
church  seemed  to  lie  on  his  shoulders,  and  that  kings  and 
princes  made  choice  of  him  for  the  general  arbitrator  of 
their  differences."  Bayle  quotes  from  Francis  D'Amboise 
the  follo\\ing :  "  St.  Bernard  was  so  generally  admired  and 
beloved  that  he  had  the  good  wishes  of  the  whole  world."  In 
the  four  hundred  and  forty  letters  printed  in  his  works,  many 
of  them  addressed  to  kings,  queens,  popes,  cardinals,  bishops, 
and  other  distinguished  persons  living  in  various  countries, 
he  finds  an  opportunity  for  three  letters  to  Malachi,  Arch- 
bishop of  Hibernia,  and  one  to  Irish  brethren  on  the  death 
of  Malachi.  He  was  an  untiring  worker,  interested  in  little 
things,  as  well  as  in  matters  of  supreme  moment.  If  Malachi, 
the  poor  Irish  bishop,  had  been  a  great  king,  Bernard  could 
not  have  been  more  attentive  to  him  when  his  guest  at  Clair- 
vaux,  or  in  treating  the  details  of  his  life  when  writing  his 
biography.  Bernard  heard  from  Malachi  personally  and 
by  letters,  the  facts  recorded  in  his  "  Life  "  ;  he  had  Irish  clerics 
placed  in  his  charge  by  Malachi  for  entrance  into  his  monas- 
tic order  ;  through  his  French  monks  he  founded  Mellifont 
.Abbey  in  Ireland.  From  these  persons  Bernard  had  an  op- 
portunity to  gather  exact  information  about  Malachi  and  the 
Irish  church. 

Bernard  says  that  Malachi,  in  his  reforms  in  the  Irish 
Church,  thought  that : 

He  was  not  quite  safe  in  making  them  without  the  authority  of  the 
apostolic  see,  and  he  resolved  to  set  out  for  Kome ;  and  especially 
hecause  a  metropolitan  see  [a  primates]  was  as  yet  wanting,  and  the 
use  of  the  pall,  which  is  the  fullness  of  honor,  from  the  beginning  had 
heen  wanting  {defuerat  ab  initio  pallii  usus). 

According  to  Bernard,  as  well  as  Giraldus,  Patrick  and  his 
successors  down  to  Malichi,  had  no  Roman  authority  and  no 
primate's  see,  being  without  the  pope's  pall,  so  that  all  conse- 
crations of  bishops  were  nullities. 

Bernard,  speaking  of  Malachi's  crusade  against  the  inde- 


THE   INFLUENCE   OF   IRISH   MISSIONARIES.      275 

pendence  of  the  Irish  church,  describes  as  follows  the  great 
change  his  efforts  produced  : 

Harshness  yielded,  barbarianism  slept,  an  angry  house  began  by 
degrees  to  be  appeased,  correction  is  admitted  easily,  discipline  is  re-- 
ceived  ;  from  the  centre,  where  barbarous  laws  are  enacted,  Roman 
laws  [the  pope's  commandments]  are  introduced;  everywhere  the 
ecclesiastical  customs  [of  the  papacy]  are  accepted;  the  contrary 
[customs  of  the  Irish  Church]  are  rejected. 

Here  Romanism  is  a  novelty  thrust  into  the  Irish  Church 
by  Malachi.  Again,  says  Bernard,  of  Malachi  laboring  in 
Ireland  : 

He  gave  laws  full  of  righteousness,  full  of  moderation  and  honesty; 
and  he  also  appointed  in  all  the  churches  apostolical  statutes  and  the 
decrees  of  the  holy  Fathers,  and  chlejiy  the  iyistltations  of  the  holy 
Roman  Church  { proecipueque  consuetudines  sanctce  RoynancB  ecclesice). 

Malachi  here,  according  to  Bernard,  was  making  the  Irish 
a  popish  church  for  the  first  time.  Bernard  informs  us  that 
when  Malachi  visited  the  pope  "  he  solicited  the  confirmation 
of  the  new  metropolitan  see  [subject  to  Armagh,  established 
by  Celsus,  Malachi's  predecessor],  and  that  palls  for  both 
sees  [Armagh  and  Cashel]  should  be  given  to  him.  He  soon 
received  the  grant  of  confirmation ;  but  about  the  palls  the 
pope  said  :  "  That  business  must  be  transacted  more  solemnly. 
Let  the  bishops,  clergy,  and  nobles  of  the  land  be  convened 
and  celebrate  a  general  council ;  and  should  you  in  this  way, 
with  the  knowledge  and  desire  of  all,  seek  the  pall  for  worthy 
persons,  it  shall  be  given  to  you !  "^  The  confirmation  by  the 
pope  of  a  new  episcopal  see  created  by  the  primate  of 
Armagh  was  without  example  in  Irish  church  history. 

The  application  to  Rome  by  Malachi  for  two  palls,  one  of 
which  was  for  himself  as  primate  of  Ireland,  never  was  made 
before ;  as  Bernard  says :  "  The  use  of  the  pall  from  the  begin- 
ning has  been  wanting  [from  the  see  of  Armagh]."  And  to 
show  that  the  pope  regarded  his  pall  as  a  novelty  for  Ireland, 

1 "  Sancjti  Bernard!  Opera.  Vita  S.  Malachiae,"  cap.  15,  cap.  10,  cap.  8,  cap.  3,  cap 
16.    Parisiis.  1690. 


276         ANCIENT   BRITISH    AND    IRISH    CHURCHES. 

whose  religious,  freedom-loving  people,  looking  upon  a  papal 
pall  as  a  badge  of  slavery  to  an  insolent  Italian  priest,  might 
expel  Malachi  and  his  pall  from  their  island,  or  perhaps 
destroy  both,  he  insisted  upon  a  request  from  an  Irish  general 
council  for  the  palls  before  he  granted  them. 

A  synod  was  held  at  Holmpatrick  in  A.  d.  1148  to  request 
the  palls,  and  a  second  time  Malachi  started  for  the  symbols 
of  slavery,  the  palls  which  the  pope  promised.  He  was  the 
first  ecclesiastic  representing  the  authority  of  the  Irish  church 
that  ev'er  made  an  appeal  to  the  pope.  His  application  for  a 
pall  for  Armagh  is  unquestionable  evidence  that  down  to  the 
middle  of  the  twelfth  century  the  church  of  Ireland  was  not 
under  the  canons  or  the  government  of  the  bishops  of  Rome. 
Michelet^  well  says:  "  No  churches  in  the  middle  ages  con- 
tinued longer  independent  of  Rome  than  those  of  Ireland  and 
Brittany." 

1  Michelet's  "  History  of  France,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  153.    New  York. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THE   EARLY    BRITISH   CHURCHES. 

The  Britons  of  Cornwall  resist  papal  authority  in  the  tenth  century- 
The  pope's  jurisdiction  in  Wales  began  in  the  tenth  and  became  uni- 
versal in  the  thirteenth  century-Llewellyn-Sir  William  Wallace- 
No  metropolitans  in  Scotland  to  consecrate  bishops  in  twelfth  cen- 
tury-Dioceses first  established  in  Scotland  in  the  twelfth  century- 
Romish  rule  for  only  four  hundred  years  in  Scotland-Dr.  Dollin- 
ger  and  the  independence  of  the  early  Irish  and  British  churches. 

The  people  of  the  county  of  Cornwall,  in  England,  in  the 
tenth  century,  were  ancient  Britons;  and  in  the  register^  of 
the  priory  of  Canterbury,  in  the  time  of  Archbishop  Pleg- 
mund,  there  is  a  record  of  a  particular  provision  made  for 
the  Cornish  men  to  recover  them  from  their  errors,  for  that 
county,  as  the  register  reads,  refused  to  submit  to  and  took  no 
notice  of  the  pope's  authority.  The  Cornish  men  were  the 
religious  descendants  of  the  Britons,  who  rejected  the  claims 
of  Pope  Gregory's  missionary  in  A.  d.  603,  at  Augustine's 
Oak,  and  they  continued  during  the  intervening  centuries  faith- 
ful to  the  Rome-rejecting  doctrines  of  their  anti-papal  ances- 
tors. For  this  they  are  censured  in  the  register,  and  probably 
suffered  many  things  in  words  and  deeds  from  Plegmund  and 
his  successors. 

In  A.  D.  981  the  archbishops  of  Canterbury,  according  to 

Rapin, — 

Acquired  a  new  jurisdiction  in  Wales.  Gucan,  a  Welsh  priest, 
being  chosen  bishop  of  Landaff,  was  consecrated  by  Archbishop  Dun- 
stan  This  precedent  was  followed  by  his  successors,  who,  like  him, 
owned  the  archbishop  of  Canterbury  for  their  metropolitan.  Some 
infer  from  this  that  all  the  British  [Welsh]  bishops,  at  the  same  time 
recognized  the  superiority  of  the  church  of  Rome,  'But  this  conse- 
quence cannot  be  admitted.     It  is  certain  that  the  bishops  of  St. 


I  Spelman's  "  Concil.."  Lib.  I.,  pp.  387, 388. 


277 


278         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

David's  all  along  exercised  the  archiepiscopal  functions  in  Wales  until 
the  time  of  Henry  I.  [about  A.  d.  1109]  ;  and  that  without  the  orna- 
ment of  the  pall,  the  mark  of  submission  to  the  pope.^ 

Prior  to  Gucan's  time  the  pope  had  no  authority  in  Wales. 
In  the  reign  of  Henry  I.,  Rapiu  writes : 

Gucan's  2  successors  following  his  example,  the  archbishops  of  Can- 
terbury claimed  the  same  power  with  regard  to  all  the  other  bishops 
in  Wales;  but  they  met  with  great  opposition.  At  length  Bernard, 
the  queen's  chaplain,  being  nominated  to  the  see  of  St.  David's,  was 
consecrated  by  Kalph,  archbishop  of  Canterbury,  who  maintained 
that  since  his  jurisdiction  was  o\yned  by  the  chief  of  the  Welsh 
bishops,  the  rest  could  not  be  excused  from  professing  obedience. 
However,  as  Bernard  repented  afterward,  a  long  contest  arose,  which 
was  not  decided  until  Wales  was  united  to  England  in  the  reign  of 
Edward  I. 

Tlie  Romanists  now  had  two  of  the  Welsh  bishops  in  their 
power,  with  a  demand  upon  the  others  for  submission,  which 
was  long  resisted.  Giraldus  Cambrensis  says:  "Until  the 
entire  subjugation  of  Wales  by  Henry  I.,  the  Welsh  bishops 
were  always  consecrated  by  the  bishop  of  St.  David's,  and  he 
was  consecrated  by  his  suffragans,  without  any  profession  or 
submission  being  made  to  any  other  church."  ^  Collier  com- 
menting upon  the  statement  of  Cambrensis,  writes : 

It  follows  pretty  plainly  that  the  British  churches  lived  indepen- 
dently of  the  see  of  Kome  till  the  reign  of  Henry  I.  ;  and  that  there 
was  no  correspondence  between  them;  for  by  the  canons  of  the 
Koman  church,  an  archbishop  was  not  to  enter  upon  any  part  of  his 
metropolitan  distinction  [such  as  consecrating  bishops],  until  he  had 
received  a  pall.  * 

Popery  completed  its  triumph  in  Wales  under  peculiar  cir- 
cumstances. On  December  11,  1282,  the  famous  Llewellyn, 
Prince  of  Wales,  after  years  of  conflict,  and  in  a  battle  where 
he  was  greatly  outnumbered,  was  killed.  He  was  a  hero  of  un- 
surpassed bravery  ;   generous  to    a  fault,  he  was  dearer  to 

1  Eapin's  "  History  of  England,  Vol.  I.,  p.  145.    London,  1732. 

2  Ibid.,  p.  214. 

3  "  Itinerary  Through  Wales,  Historical  Works,"  p.  417.    London. 
*  Collier's  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  474.    London. 


THE  T^AELY  BRITISH  CHURCHES.  279 

patriotic  Welshmen  than  their  own  lives.  His  name  is  borne 
to-day  by  large  numbers  of  men  in  Wales  and  all  over 
Anglo-Saxendom.  He  was  descended  from  one  of  the  oldest 
royal  families  in  Europe ;  and  yet  the  greatest  military  com- 
mander of  his  day,  either  in  a  fit  of  brutality  or  more  prob- 
ably from  natural  ferocity,  had  his  head  struck  off;  and, 
after  crowning  it  with  ivy,  ordered  it  to  be  exposed  on  the 
walls  of  the  Tower  of  London.     Kapin  says : 

The  Welsh  lost  at  length  their  liberty  after  preserving  it  in  that 
little  corner  of  the  island  above  eight  hundred  years.  Destitute  of  all 
succors,  without  foreign  alliances,  and  without  a  naval  power,  they  had 
stood  their  ground  against  the  kings  of  England,  Saxon  and  Norman, 
who  had  almost  all  tried  to  subdue  them  with  forces  vastly  superior.^ 

The  Protestantism  of  the  Welsh  was  finally  sacrificed  in  all 
its  manifestations,  outside  of  the  secrets  of  the  heart,  on  the 
altar  of  Komanism,  when  they  lost  their  independence,  and 
their  Church  and  State  were  incorporated  into  the  Romish 
Church,  and  the  tyrannical  State  of  the  England  of  that  day. 
Edward,  whose  troops  were  defeated  by  Sir  William  Wallace, 
among  the  noblest  of  European  patriots,  inflicted  a  complete 
overthrow  upon  the  army  of  the  Scottish  hero  at  Falkirk  in 
1298.  In  1305,  Wallace,  having  fallen  into  Edward's  power, 
was  by  his  order  "  hanged,  drawn,  and  quartered,"  in  Smith- 
field,  London.  The  king,  whose  unprovoked  war  upon  the 
Welsh,  led  to  the  killing  of  Llewellyn,  the  Washington  of 
Wales,  and  whose  wicked  war  upon  the  Scotch,  exhibited  the 
heroic  patriotism  of  Sir  William  Wallace,  the  Washington  of 
Scotland,  was  the  base  tyrant  who  destroyed  the  last  public 
manifestation  of  ancient  British  Protestantism.  His  tomb  in 
Westminster  Abbey  is  only  a  few  feet  from  the  coronation 
chair,  with  the  stone  which  he  carried  from  Scone  Cathedral, 
upon  which  many  Scottish  and  Irish  kings  were  crowned. 
Upon  that  old  monument  should  be  plainly  cut :  "  Remember 
Edward,  the  slayer  of  Llewellyn,  and  Sir  William  Wallace, 
and  of  whole  armies  of  patriotic  Scots  and  Welf  h ;  and  the 

1  Rapin's  "  History  of  England,  Vol.  I.,  pp.  360,  361.    London,  1732. 


280         ANCIENT   BRITISH    AND    IRISH    CHURCHES. 

destroyer  of  the  last  remnant  of  ancient  British  Protestantism." 
We  do  not  believe  that  either  the  Irish  or  Welsh  Christians 
of  the  tenth,  eleventh,  and  twelfth  centuries  were  as  free  from 
error  as  their  religious  ancestors.  We  simply  assert  that  they 
were  in  the  main  anti-Romanists. 

Scotland  had  no  metropolitan  of  her  own  in  the  twelfth 
century,  when  for  the  first  time  in  the  history  of  that  country 
her  sovereign  wanted  Romish  consecration  for  his  bishops. 
For  this  purpose  the  bishops-elect  received  their  consecration 
in  England.  In  all  former  ages,  such  bishops  as  the  Scotch 
had  were  ordained  at  home  without  the  services  of  a  metro- 
politan or  the  use  of  a  pall ;  and  consequently  they  were  not 
Romanists. 

In  A.  D.  1126,  John,  of  Crema,^  a  cardinal  priest,  held  a 
council  of  Scottish  bishops  at  Roxburgh.  This  was  the  first 
exercise  of  papal  power  in  Scotland.  The  ancient  Scottish 
church  was  erroneous  in  some  things,  but  hostile  to  Rome  in 
everything.  The  same  statement  is  true  about  the  ancient 
Celtic  churches  of  Britain  and  Ireland.  A  work  generally 
understood  to  have  been  wTitten  by  Dr.  Dollinger,  of  Munich, 
lately  deceased,  the  celebrated  "  Old  Catholic,"  one  of  the 
most  learned  men  in  Europe,  says  :  "  In  the  "West,  the  Irish 
and  the  ancient  British  church  remained  for  centuries  autono- 
mous, and  under  no  sort  of  influence  of  Rome."  "^  This  is  the 
testimony  of  the  leading  ecclesiastical  historians  of  the  world, 
a  testimony  which  Rome  corroborates  by  ages  of  efforts,  cun- 
ning, tyrannical,  and  persecuting,  which  she  employed  to 
entrap  or  drive  them  into  her  fold.  Scotland  and  Wales  were 
dragged  into  it,  but  Rome  could  keep  neither  of  them.  And 
the  day  will  come  when  the  Irish,  whose  fathers,  Bible-loving 
and  Protestant,  St.  Patrick  led  to  the  fountain  of  atoning 
blood,  will  forsake  the  priest,  the  mass,  and  the  crucifix,  and 
fly  to  the  great  sacrifice  of  Calvary. 

1  Smith's  "  Life  of  St.  Oolumba,"  p.  203.    Glasgow. 

2  "  The  Pope  and  Council,"  p.  69.    Boston,  1870. 


BOOK  V. 

BRITISH  AND  IRISH   PRESBYTERS  AND   BISHOPS; 
THEIR  MARRIAGES  AND  HOMES. 


CHAPTER  I. 

PRIMITIVE   CHURCH   ORDER. 

Milman  on  "presbyter  bishops  "—A  throng  of  British  bishops  at  the 
council  of  Brevy— St.  Patrick's  hundreds  of  bishops  in  Ireland— St. 
Bernard  speaks  of  great  numbers  in  Ireland  in  the  twelfth  century 
—Dioceses  and  diocesan  epiocopacy  had  no  existence  in  Ireland 
before  a.  d.  1112— Scotland  was  in  the  same  state— Columba,  a 
presbyter,  ruled  bishops— Why  did  he  not  become  a  bishop?— The 
story  about  Bishop  Cronan's  visit  to  lona— The  presbyters  of  lona 
ordained  the  bishops  sent  out  by  their  monastery. 

Milman,  an  Episcopalian   dignitary   and  scholar,  writes 

that: 

The  earliest  Christian  communities  appear  to  have  been  ruled  and 
represented,  in  the  absence  of  the  apostle  who  was  their  founder,  by 
their  elders,  who  are  likewise  called  bishops,  or  overseers  of  the 
churches.  These  pres by tei^  bishops  and  the  deacons  are  the  only  two 
orders  which  we  discover  at  first  in  the  church  of  Ephesus,  at  Philippi, 
and  perhaps  in  Crete. ^ 

He  supposes  that  it  "  was  by  no  means  improbable,"  that 
afterward  the  apostle  may  have  appointed  an  overseer,  "  supe- 
rior to  the  co-ordinate  body  of  elders."  Milman's  positive 
statement,  sustained  by  the  Scriptures  which  he  quotes,  cannot 
be  refuted.  His  supposition  is  wholly  lacking  in  evidence. 
Stillingfleet '  refers  to  an  account  of  the  great  council  of 
Brevy,  Wales,  taken  from  the  manuscript  of  Utrecht,  which 
represents  one  hundred  and  eighteen  bishops  as  present  at  its 

1  "  History  of  Christianity,"  p.  104.    New  York. 

2  "  Antiquities  of  the  British  Churches,"  p.  358. 

281 


282         ANCIENT   BKITISH   AND   IRISH    CHURCHES. 

deliberations.  The  learned  bishop  objects  to  the  number  of 
bishops  assigned  to  it,  though  he  admits  that  Colgan  defends 
the  large  representation  of  bishops.  The  number  was  not  too 
great,  if  the  minister  of  every  church  was  a  bishop,  though 
very  much  too  large  if  the  synod  of  Brevy  was  an  Episco- 
palian council.  It  is  not  unlikely  that  the  chief  ecclesiastics 
of  this  assembly  were  substantially  "  presbyter  bishops."  Ac- 
cording to  Nennius,^  Patrick  founded  three  hundred  and 
sixty-five  churches,  and  consecrated  the  same  number  of 
bishops,  and  ordained  three  thousand  presbyters.  If  we  take 
the  testimony  of  Nennius,  St.  Patrick  placed  a  bishop  in  every 
church  which  he  founded ;  and  several  presbyters,  after  the 
example  of  the  New  Testament  churches.  Nor  was  the  great 
number  of  bishops  peculiar  to  Patrick's  time ;  in  the  twelfth 
century,  St.  Bernard  tell  us  that  in  Ireland  "  bishops  are 
multiplied  and  changed  according  to  the  pleasure  of  the  pri- 
mate, without  reason  or  order ;  so  that  one  bishopric  is  not 
satisfied  with  one,  but  almost  every  church  had  a  bishop  of 
its  own.'"  ^  As  far  as  numbers  went,  the  Irish  churches  at 
this  period  had  bishops  after  the  order  of  Baptist  churches. 

Professor  George  T.  Stokes'^  declares  that,  prior  to  the  synod 
of  Rathbresail,  in  a.  d.  1112,  "Episcopacy  had  been  the  rule 
of  the  Irish  church  ;  but  dioceses  and  diocesan  episcopacy  had 
no  existence  at  all."  Episcopacy,  without  territorial  jurisdic- 
tion and  with  so  many  bishops,  could  only  be  congregational. 

"Scotland,"  as  Collier*  relates,  "in  the  ninth  century  was 
not  divided  into  dioceses,  but  all  the  Scottish  bishops  had  their 
jurisdiction  as  it  were  at  large,  and  exercised  their  function 
wherever  they  came.  And  this  continued  to  the  reign  of 
Malcom  III.,"  who  was  crowned  in  a.  d.  1057.  When  Collifr 
speaks  of  jurisdiction,  we  must  remember  that  they  had  no 
jurisdiction  in  its  proper  sense;    the   early  Scottish  bishops 

1 "  History  of  the  Britons,"  Sec.  54. 

2  "  Vit.  St.  Malachi,  Episc.  Hibern.,"  Cap.  X.,  - .  667.    Parisiis,  1690. 

3  "  Ireland  and  the  Celtic  Church,"  p.  338. 

*  "  Ecclesiastical  History  of  Great  Britain,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  367.    London. 


PRIMITIVE   CHURCH   ORDER.  283 

were  like  their  brethren  in  Ireland,  without  dioceses  and  with- 
out jurisdiction.  Eminent  writers  like  Dr.  Todd/  of  Trinity- 
College,  Dublin,  freely  assert  this. 

Bede  relates  that  "  lona  had  for  its  ruler  an  abbot,  who 
is  a  priest,  to  whose  direction  all  the  provinces,  and  even  the 
bishops,  contrary  to  the  usual  method,  are  subject,  according 
to  the  example  of  their  first  teacher,  who  was  not  a  bishop, 
but  a  priest  and  monk."  ^  To  this  Bede  makes  no  objection, 
though  there  is  not  in  the  history  of  Eomish  Christendom,  be- 
fore, or  iu,  Bede's  day,  another  case  of  the  kind ;  and  there 
certainly  has  not  been  one  since.  Why  did  not  Columba 
become  a  bishop  ?  Many  scores  of  bishops  would  have  shown 
joyful  haste  to  confer  that  office  upon  him ;  and  if  the  position 
was  really  higher  than  his  standing  among  the  presbyters,  he 
would  surely  have  become  a  bishop ;  but  it  cannot  be  doubted 
that  he  deemed  his  rank  as  a  presbyter  to  be  fully  equal  to 
that  of  any  bishop  on  earth.  On  the  same  principle,  it  is  not 
unlikely  that  his  countryman,  Gallus,  a  presbyter,  declined  to 
be  bishop  of  Constance,  and  had  his  friend  and  pupil,  John, 
invested  with  the  responsibilities  of  that  office. 

Adamnan,  in  his  "  Life  of  Columba,"  is  represented  as  speak- 
ing of  the  visit  of  Cronau,  an  Irish  bishop,  to  lona.  He  was  dis- 
guised, but  Columba  supernaturally  recognized  his  episcopal 
orders ;  and  as  Columba,  according  to  Adamnan,  was  seeking 
two  presbyters  to  celebrate  the  Lord's  Supper,  when  he  per- 
ceived that  Cronan  was  a  bishop,  he  said  to  him,  "  Christ 
bless  thee,  brother,  consecrate  alone,  according  to  the  episcopal 
rite,  for  I  know  thou  art  a  bishop."  This  story  is  told  osten- 
sibly to  show  Columba's  supernatural  powers  of  discernment ; 
but  the  writer  of  it  probably  forged  it  to  prove  that  Columba, 
though  he  ruled  bishops,  recognized  their  rank  as  superior  to 
his  own.  The  basis  of  the  Cronan  fabrication  is  without  foun- 
dation ;  two  presbyters  were  not  necessary  in  Columba's  time 
to  celebrate  the  Eucharist.     Adamnan  himself,  in  his  work 

1  "  St.  Patrick,  Apostle  of  Ireland,"  Introduction.    1864. 

2  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  III.,  p.  4. 


284         ANCIENT   BRITISH    AND    IRISH    CHURCHES. 

in  which  the  Cronan  story  now  appears,  plainly  intimates  that 
one  presbyter  was  competent  to  celebrate  the  Lord's  Supper ; 
he  says  that  "Columba  observed  a  certain  presbyter  adminis- 
ter the  sacred  rite  of  the  Eucharist,  whom  the  brethren  of  the 
monastery  who  lived  there  had  selected  to  celebrate  the  solemn 
service  because  they  regarded  him  as  very  devout "  ;^  and  he 
writes  that  as  Columba  observed  the  presbyter  and  the  Eu- 
charist, 

He  uttered  an  alarming  denunciation, "  The  pure  and  the  unclean  are 
seen  to  be  equally  mixed  here;  the  pure  is  the  holy  rite  of  the  [sym- 
bolical] offering  administered  by  a  guilty  man,  who,  notwithstanding, 
conceals  in  his  conscience  a  foul  crime."  Those  present  who  heard 
these  words  tremhled,  and  were  exceedingly  astonished.  But  the  man 
of  whom  they  were  spoken  was  constrained  to  confess  his  sin. 

The  recognition  by  Columba  that  a  bishop  was  the  superior 
of  a  presbyter,  as  seen  in  the  Cronan  case,  is  a  mere  forgery, 
and  it  is  of  a  later  day  than  Adamnan's. 

Neither  Adamnan  nor  any  other  ancient  writer  ever  men- 
tions a  bishop  as  a  resident  of  lona.  There  is  absolutely  no 
evidence  that  Bishops  Aidan,  Finan,  Colman,  Diuma,  and  Cel- 
lach,  missionaries  among  the  Anglo-Saxons,  were  ordained  by 
bishops.  The  presbyter  abbot  of  lona  and  his  fellow-presby- 
ters in  the  monastery,  evidently  ordained  all  the  presbyters 
and  bishops  who  left  their  institution  to  preach  Christ.  And 
when  any  of  the  bishops  returned  to  reside  at  lona,  they  came 
as  presbyters,  like  the  other  ministering  brethren  there  ;  and 
like  Columba  himself 

There  is  some  reason  for  believing  with  M'Lauchlan  ^  that 
"  The  ordinary  clergy,  as  distinguished  from  the  members  of 
the  [monastic]  colleges,  were  the  bishops  of  the  early  church." 

1  "  Vit.  Colum.,"  Lib.  I.,  Cap.  XX..  p.  737.    Migne. 

2  "  The  Early  Scottish  Church,"  p.  337. 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE   MARRIAGE   OF   THE   CLERGY. 

Patrick's  grandfather  a  married  presbyter— Married  British  bishops 
—Hibernian  married  missionaries  in  the  eighth  century— Patrick 
seeks  a  man  with  one  wife  for  a  bishop — Cormac,  the  Irish  married 
bishop  and  king — St.  Bernard  states  that  eight  married  bishops  held 
the  see  of  Armagh  before  Celsus,  a.  d.  1106. 

Among  the  ancient  Britons  no  stigma  rested  upon  the  mar- 
riage of  a  member  of  any  grade  of  the  ministry.  St.  Pat- 
rick, a  Briton,  commences  his  invaluable  "  Confession  "  with 
these  words :  "  I,  Patrick,  a  sinner,  the  rudest  and  least  of 
all  the  faithful,  and  most  contemptible  to  great  numbers,  had 
for  my  father  Calpornius,  a  deacon,  a  son  of  the  late  Potitus, 
the  presbyter."  He  mentions  the  church  offices  held  by  his 
father  and  grandfather,  as  he  gives  an  account  of  his  age  and 
capture. 

He  seems  to  regard  his  relationship  to  them  as  an  honor ; 
and  their  wedlock  as  inflicting  no  disgrace  upon  them  or  him, 
either  among  British  believers  or  Hibernian  Christians,  to 
whom  he  addressed  his  "  Confession." 

Gildas,  the  Briton,  commenting  upon  Paul's  account  of  the 
qualifications  of  a  bishop,  writes, "  Well  governing  his  house," 
saith  the  apostle,  "having  his  children  subjected  with  all 
chastity." 

"  Imperfect,  therefore,  is  the  chastity  of  the  parents  [the 
bishop  and  his  wife],  if  the  children  be  not  also  endued  with 
the  same.  But  how  shall  it  be  where  neither  the  father  [the 
bishop],  nor  the  son,  depraved  by  the  example  of  his  evil 
parent,  is  found  to  be  chaste  ?  "  '  The  context  shows  that 
some   married   bishops   were   not   faithful   to    their    wives. 

1 "  The  Works  of  Gildas,"  Sec  109. 

285 


286         ANCIENT   BRITISH    AND   IPwISH    CHURCHES. 

Gildas  does  not  censure  the  marriage  of  bishops,  which  he 
evidently  thought  a  divinely  instituted  form  of  chastity,  but 
episcopal  licentiousness.  It  is  probable  that  many  presby- 
ters and  bishops  among  the  Britons  were  married.  Nennius 
dedicated  his  "  History  "  "  to  Samuel,  the  son  of  Benlanus,  the 
presbyter,  his  preceptor,  a  British  clergyman,  counting  it  a 
grace,  rather  than  any  kind  of  disparagement  to  be  the  son  of 
a  learned  priest."  ^ 

Of  the  opponents  of  Boniface,  the  English  missionary  in 
Germany  in  the  eighth  century,  who  seriously  disturbed  his 
Romish  tranquility,  Neander  writes :  "  Some  of  them  were 
free-minded  British  and  Irish  clergymen,  particularly  such  as 
would  not  submit  to  the  Roman  laws  touching  the  celibacy  of 
the  priests,  whose  married  life  appeared  to  Boniface,  look- 
ing at  the  matter  from  his  point  of  view,  an  unlawful 
connection."  ^ 

As  the  Scots  were  found  everywhere  on  the  continent  in 
the  eighth  century  as  teachers  and  missionaries,  ^lichelet  fre- 
quently speaks  of  them.  Writing  of  St.  Boniface,  he  says : 
"  His  chief  hatred  is  to  the  Scots,  the  name  given  to  the 
Scotch  and  Irish,  and  he  especially  condemns  their  allowing 
priests  to  marry."  ^ 

In  "  Additions  to  Tirechan's  collections,"  *  a  work  written 
in  Irish  in  the  ninth  century,  we  have  an  account  of  the  selec- 
tion of  a  bishop  by  Patrick,  in  which  he  was  aided  by  Dub- 
thach.  Patrick  wanted  a  man  from  his  disciples  of  good  lin- 
eage, without  defect,  without  blemish,  neither  rich  nor  poor ; 
"  I  wish  a  man,"  he  says,  "  of  one  wife,  unto  whom  hath  been 
born  only  one  child."  Through  Dubthach's  information, 
Fiacc  was  appointed  a  bishop.  He  was  the  husband  of  one 
wife  and  he  had  the  other  qualifications.      Commenting  upon 


»  Cited  in  Ussher,  Vol.  IV.,  p.  295. 

2  "  General  Hi-story  of  the  Christian  Church,"  Vol.  III.,  p.  53. 
3"  History  of  France,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  110.    N.  Y. 

*  "Additions  to  Tirechan's  Collections"  in   "Government  Tripartite  Life,"  Vol. 
II.,  p  345. 


THE    MARRIAGE   OF   THE   CLERGY.  287 

this  matter,  Dr.  Whitley  Stokes  remarks :  "  Polygamy 
existed  [in  Ireland],  and  hence  Patrick,  like  Paul,  requires 
for  the  bishopric  of  Leinster,  a  husband  ot  one  wife."  ^  The 
same  event  is  recorded  in  the  "  Tripartite  Life  of  Patrick," 
written  some  two  hundred  years  after. 

Cormac  of  Cashel,  the  great  warrior,  bishop,  and  king,  was 
born  A.  D.  831  ;  he  became  king  of  Munster  in  a.  d.  896, 
and  reigned  only  seven  years.  He  was  a  married  bishop 
years  before  he  was  king.  He  perished  in  the  battle  of 
Ballymoon  near  Carlow.  Gormlaith,*  the  wife  of  the  bishop- 
king  when  he  was  only  a  prelate,  married  soon  after  his 
death  his  conqueror  at  Ballymoon ;  and  losing  him,  the  next 
year  she  married  Neill,  king  of  Ireland. 

In  his  description  of  the  city  of  Armagh,  Ireland,  where 
the  primacy  of  the  Irish  Church  has  been  located  from 
remote  antiquity,  the  learned  Camden  states,  that  "Among 
the  archbishops  of  that  city  who  attained  special  celebrity, 
was  St.  Malachi,  who  first  prohibited  the  marriage  of  priests 
in  Ireland."'  Malachi  was  the  first  to  stop  the  marriage 
of  Patrick's  successors,  the  bishops  of  Armagh,  and  through 
this  great  change,  marriage  was  eventually  forbidden  to 
the  clergy  of  all  grades  in  Ireland. 

Celsus,  the  primate,  who  ordained  Malachi  a  deacon,  presby- 
ter, and  bishop,  was  anxious  that  he  should  succeed  him  as 
archbishop  of  Armagh,  which  he  did  eventually.  St.  Ber- 
nard of  Clairvaux,  writing  of  the  primacy  of  Armagh,  in  his 
"  Life  of  Malachi,"  says : 

A  very  wicked  custom  grew  up  through  the  diabolical  ambition  of 
some  powerful  persons  to  obtain  the  holy  see  [Armagh]  by  hereditary 
succession.  Neither  would  they  suffer  any  persons  to  perform  episco- 
pal duties  unless  they  were  of  their  own  tribe  and  family,  .  .  Finally 
eight  married  men  held  the  ofSce  before  Celsus.* 

1  "Additions  to  Tireehan's  Collections"  in  "  Government  Tripartite  Life,"  Intro., 
p.  168 

2  O'Donovan's  "  Annals  of  the  Kingdom  of  Ireland,"  at  a.  d.  909. 

3  "  Britannia,"  p.  434.     Amsterdami,  1639. 

4 "  De  Vita  Malach.,  Episc.  Hibern.,"  Cap.  10,  pp.  667,  668.    Parisiis,  1690. 


288         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

We  learn  in  the  same  chapter  of  Bernard,  that  when  Mai 
achi  was  urged  by  the  bishops  and  princes  to  enter  upon  the 
primacy,  that  at  first  he  refused,  saying :  "  It  was  a  serious 
thing  for  a  poor  man  like  him  to  oppose  himself  to  such  persons. 
so  numerous,  so  powerful,  and  so  rooted  [in  their  guilt],  who 
now  for  almost  two  hundred  years,  held  possession,  as  if  by 
hereditary  right,  of  the  sanctuary  of  God  [the  primacy  of 
Armagh]." 

In  the  time  of  Brian  Boru,  who  was  killed  at  the  battle  of 
Clontarf,  a.  d.  1014,  Maelmury  was  bishop  of  Armagh ;  he 
was  a  married  man,  and  belonged  to  the  family  that  held  the 
primacy  for  two  hundred  years.  Celsus,  Malachi's  legitimate 
predecessor,  belonged  to  the  same  great  family  of  bishops  who 
held  the  see  for  two  hundred  years ;  "  he  was  the  grandson 
of  a  previous  primate ;  and  he  is  said  by  some  to  have  been 
married."  ^ 

It  has  been  asserted  that  these  married  primates  had  no 
episcopal  consecration ;  St.  Bernard,  falsely  informed,  states 
this,  and  that  they  employed  regular  bishops  to  perform  all 
their  public  ecclesiastical  duties,  while  they  carefully  collected 
the  emoluments  of  the  primate's  office.  To  this  Professor 
Stokes  replies : 

The  bishop  [of  Armagh]  of  Brian's  day  was  succeeded  in  his  ofBce 
by  no  less  than  two  sons.  Yet  at  his  death  he  was  revered  by  the 
whole  of  Ireland,  and  is  described  by  the  "  Annals  of  the  Four  Mas- 
ters" as  "the  head  of  the  clergy  of  the  west  of  Europe;  the  principal 
of  all  the  holy  order  of  the  west ;  and  a  most  wise  and  learned  doctor," 
than  which  no  stronger  words  can  be  invented  to  describe  a  bishop 
invested  with  full  ecclesiastical  functions.  His  son,  Amalgaid,  who 
presided  over  the  see  from  a.  d.  1021  to  1050,  acted  as  a  real  primate 
over  alllreland,  and  was  the  first  bishop  of  Armagh  who  exercised 
such  power  by  making  the  first  primatial  visitation  of  all  Munster. 
His  great-grandson,  Maurice,  successfully  held  the  see  for  five  years 
in  opposition  to  St.  Malachi.^ 

1  "  Ireland  and  the  Celtic  Church,"  pp.  335,  337. 
s  Ibid.,  p.  357. 


CHAPTER  III. 

MARRIED  MONKS  AND  NUNS. 

Many  of  the  early  monks  and  nuns  married— They  lived  in  their  own 
houses— These  persons  led  stricter  lives  than  others  in  their  ordinary 
dwellings — They  gave  much  time  to  devotions  and  Bible  study — 
Such  was  the  course  of  Pelagius — Bingham  on  married  monks — 
Athanasius  on  monks  who  were  fathers  of  children— Augustine's 
statement— Many  of  St.  Patrick's  monks  and  "virgins  of  Christ" 
were  no  doubt  married— Devoted  much  time  to  Scripture  reading— 
Probably  conducted  cottage  Bible  schools  very  extensively— There 
is  no  evidence  that  Patrick  ever  established  a  monastery. 

Collier  writes  that : ' 

Those  were  called  monks  at  Kome  in  Pelagius'  time  [the  beginning 
of  the  fifth  century]  who  had  no  office  in  the  church,  but  yet  retired 
from  the  common  employments  of  the  world  for  religious  studies  and 
devotion.  Thus  Garnerius  confesses  that  Pelagius  was  not  otherwise 
a  monk  than  as  those  were  so  called  who  led  stricter  lives  than  others 
within  their  owyi  houses.  The  chief  employment  of  these  persons, 
next  to  their  devotions,  was  the  study  of  the  Scriptures,  as  appears 
from  Jerome's  epistles  ;  and  here  some  person  of  particular  eminency 
used  to  instruct  his  disciples  [from  the  Bible].  This  was  Jerome's 
practice  at  Bethlehem.  This  office  Kuffinus  performed  to  Pamma- 
chius,  and  to  Melania  and  her  family.  And  so  did  Pelagius  at  Rome. 
It  was  under  this  employment  that  he  wrote  his  short  commentaries 
on  St.  Paul's  Epistles,  and  his  letters  to  Melania  and  Demetrias. 

This  is  the  testimony  of  all  scholarly,  impartial  historians. 
That  great  student  of  the  antiquities  of  the  church  of  Christ, 
Joseph  Bingham,  writes  :  ^ 

Thus  much  is  certain  from  the  express  words  of  Athanasius  and  St. 
Augustine,  that  in  their  time  some  went  by  the  name  of  monks  who 
were  married  men  and  possessed  estates.  For  Athanasius,  writing  to 
Dracontius,  a  monk,  to  persuade  him  to  accept  a  bishopric,  to  which 
he  was  averse,  because  he  thought  it  would  not  consist  with  his  ascetic 

»  Collier's  "  Ecclesiastical  History,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  95. 

a  "  Antiquities  of  the  Christian  Church,"  Book  VII.,  chap.  2,  sec.  6. 

Z  289 


290         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH    CHURCHES. 

way  of  living,  uses  this  argument  to  him  :  "  You  may  still,  after  you 
are  made  a  bishop,  hunger  and  thirst  with  Paul,  and  abstain  from 
wine  with  Timothy,  and  fast  frequently  as  St.  Paul  was  wont  to  do. 
Many  bishops  are  not  married  ;  and  on  the  other  hand,  many  monks 
are  the  fathers  of  children ;  you  may  also  find  bishops  that  are  fathers 
of  children,  and  monks  that  are  not  so ;  clergy  that  eat  and  drink, 
and  monks  that  fast.  For  these  things  are  at  liberty,  and  no  pro- 
hibition laid  upon  them  ;  every  one  exercises  himself  as  he  pleases." 
From  these  words  of  Athanasius  [who  died  a.  d.  372]  it  seems  plain 
that  as  yet  the  rules  of  the  monastic  life  obliged  no  man  to  renounce 
either  his  possessions  or  a  married  state,  but  he  might  use  both  if  be 
pleased,  without  2iny  ecclesiastical  censure.  And  though  the  case  was 
a  little  altered  with  some  monks  before  St.  Augustine's  time  [he  died 
in  A.  D.  430],  yet  others  reserved  to  themselves  their  ancient  privi- 
leges;  for  St.  Augustine,  writing  against  the  hereticks  who  called 
themselves  "  Apostolics,"  says  :  "They  arrogantly  assumed  to  them- 
selves that  name  because  they  rejected  all  from  their  communion  who 
had  either  wives  or  estates,  of  which  sort  the  Catholic  church  had 
tnany^  both  monks  and  clergy.'''' 

Augustine  died  when  Patrick  had  labored  about  forty  years 
in  Ireland.  He  was  the  most  influential  man  in  Christendom  ; 
or  that  had  been  in  it  since  the  days  of  the  apostles.  He  was 
such  a  friend  of  the  monkish  system  that  he  set  up  that  way  of 
living  among  the  clergy  of  Hippo,  by  "  making  ^  the  bishop's 
house  a  monastery  of  clergymen,"  as  he  says.  And  yet,  the 
greatest  theologian  of  the  Christian  ages,  during  Patrick's 
ministry  in  Ireland,  denounced  the  heretical  "  Apostolics " 
for  excommunicating  the  "  many  monks  and  clergy  of  the 
Catholic  church  who  had  either  wives  or  estates." 

Bingham  modestly  adds '}  "  So  that  at  least  some  monks  were 
still  at  liberty  to  enjoy  both  a  conjugal  state  and  possessions 
of  their  own,  without  any  impeachment  of  apostasy,  or  breach 
of  vow  in  the  Catholic  church."  These  monks  with  wives  and 
property,  of  course,  "led  stricter  lives  than  others  ivithin 
their  own  houses." 

St.  Patrick  in  his  "Confession"  speaks  joyfully  of  the 
lately  idolatrous  Irish  "  as  having  become  the  people  of  the 
Lord."     "  Sons  of  the  Scots  [Irish]  and  daughters  of  chief- 

1  Bingham's  "  Antiquities  of  the  Christian  Church,"  Book  VII.,  Chap.  2,  Sec.  6. 


MARRIED   MONKS   AND   NUNS.  291 

tains  are  seen  to  be  monks  and  virgins  of  Christ."  Patrick 
does  not  write  a  word  in  his  little  works  about  a  convent  or  a 
monastery,  or  about  a  special  residence  for  any  considerable 
number  of  them.  These  persons  lived  in  Ireland  as  many  of 
them  at  first  lived  elsewhere,  in  their  own  homes,  often  mar- 
ried, and  only  differing  from  other  Christians  by  special  con- 
secration to  God. 

In  populous  places,  where  the  Christians  were  somewhat 
numerous,  we  can  imagine  these  lovers  of  the  Bible  forming 
ten  or  twelve  little  companies,  each  one  of  which  would  visit 
some  family  and  their  invited  guests,  and  read  and  expound 
to  them  the  book  of  God ;  and  continue  these  Bible  readings 
in  suitable  places  during  portions  of  every  day  in  the  week. 
And  we  can  suppose  that  they  had  also  a  daily  Bible  and  sup- 
plication meeting  for  their  own  profit  at  each  other's  dwell- 
ings. We  can  comprehend  some  measure  of  their  anxiety,  as 
they  plead  with  God  very  frequently  that  they  might  be  kept 
as  true  virgins  and  monks  of  Christ,  and  not  chiefly  as  the 
treasures  of  husbands  or  wives ;  or  the  slaves  of  mammon  or 
pleasure. 

These  devoted  disciples — "  living  sacrifices  "  to  Christ — 
rendered  noble  service  in  the  evangelization  of  Ireland  and  in 
building  up  Patrick's  converts  in  scriptural  knowledge  ;  a  ser- 
vice all  the  more  valuable  on  account  of  the  scarcity  of  copies 
of  the  divine  word  and  of  the  multitudes  who  could  not  read. 
There  were  undoubtedly  numbers  of  married  and  single  per- 
sons among  these  specially  consecrated  helpers  of  the  apostle 
of  Ireland,  just  as  St.  Augustine,  writing  during  a  part  of 
Patrick's  Irish  labors,  speaks  of  "  many  monks  and  clergy  of 
the  catholic  [universal]  church,  who  had  either  wives  or 
estates."  St.  Patrick's  monks  and  virgins  of  Christ,  wedded 
or  unmarried,  were  parts  of  the  "  bride,  the  Lamb's  wife  "  to 
whom  her  heavenly  Husband  was  the  chief  among  ten  thou- 
sand and  altogether  lovely. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

EARLY    MONASTERIES   IN   GREAT   BRITAIN   AND    IRELAND. 

Brigit's  nunnery  a  fiction— Bangor  the  first  in  Ireland— The  other 
Bangor  the  first  in  Britain — Clonard  enthusiastic  for  Bible  study — 
St.  Ruadamus,  St.  Kiaran,  and  the  aged  and  decrepit  go  to  Clonard 
for  Bible  exposition — Many  Anglo-Saxons  attended  Irish  monaste- 
ries to  learn  wisdom  from  the  Scriptures— Free  books,  teaching,  and 
food  in  some  cases. 

It  is  difficult  to  fix  the  exact  date  when  the  first  monastery 
was  established  in  Ireland.  It  is  certain  that  Patrick  was 
long  in  his  grave  before  this  took  place. 

St.  Brigit  is  said  to  have  founded  a  nunnery  at  Kildare, 
over  which  she  presided.  This  lady  was  full  of  activity  in 
spreading  the  gospel  in  Ireland,  and  was  almost  second  to 
Patrick  in  that  great  work ;  and  second,  if  not  equal  to  him 
for  centuries,  in  the  regard  of  the  people  of  Ireland.  If  she 
founded  a  nunnery,  the  evidence  to  prove  it  is  as  securely 
hidden  as  the  grave  of  Abel.  She  was  probably  the  leader  of 
a  woman's  missionary  society.  Bangor  in  Ireland  was 
founded  by  Comgal.  Bingham  states  that  it  was  established 
about  A.  D.  520 ;  and  this  date  is  apparently  the  true  one. 
He  informs  ns  that  it  was  the  most  ancient  monastery  in  Ire- 
land, as  the  famous  monastery  of  Bangor  was  the  oldest  in 
Britain.^ 

These  two  monasteries  soon  collected  a  great  number  of 
so-called  monks,  and  similar  institutions  were  speedily 
planted  in  every  direction,  several  of  which  had  a  member- 
ship numbering  two  or  three  thousand.  Bangor  in  Wales,  as 
Bede  writes,  had  "So  great  a  number  of  monks  that  the 
monastery  was  divided  into  seven  parts,  with  a  ruler  over 


1  "Antiquities  of  the  Christian  Church,"  Book  VII.,  chap.  2,  sec.  13. 
292 


EARLY    MONASTERIES.  293 

each ;  and  none  of  the  parts  contained  less  than  three  hun- 
dred men,  who  lived  by  i:he  labor  of  their  hands." 

The  special  occupation  of  the  inmates  of  these  early  mon- 
asteries was  the  study  of  the  Scriptures.  This  was  the  chief 
pursuit  of  monks  where  they  were  simply  more  devout  than 
many,  and  lived  in  their  own  houses,  with  their  wives  or  fami- 
lies like  other  men.  The  monastery  was  chiefly  a  Bible 
school. 

"  Gildas  was  a  monk  of  the  famous  monastery  of  Bangor  "  ^ 
in  Wales,  in  the  sixth  century,  of  whom  Dr.  M'Lauchlan 
writes  : 

It  was  remarked  by  Polydore  Vergil  respecting  Gildas,  that  he 
quoted  no  book  in  his  long  letter  "On  the  Destruction  of  Britain," 
but  the  Bible;  and  certainly  his  quotations  from  it  show,  on  the  part 
of  the  British  historian,  a  very  thorough  acquaintance  with  the  word 
of  God.  The  idea  seems  completely  to  pervade  the  minds  of  the  men 
who  relate  to  us  the  events  of  this  period  that  the  people  possessed  the 
Scriptures.  "2 

In  the  sixth  century,  the  monastery  of  Clonard,  in  Ireland, 
obtained  great  celebrity,  especially  for  the  successful  study  of 
the  Scriptures.  It  was' founded  by  St.  Finnian,  who  was  a 
student  for  years  under  Gildas  in  Wales ;  and  from  his  love 
for  expounding  the  divine  word  to  his  pupils,  we  have  a 
strong  confirmation  of  the  warm  regard  in  which  it  was  held 
by  Gildas  and  other  British  monks.  Finnian  had  com- 
monly, about  three  thousand  scholars  receiving  his  instruc- 
tions. Archbishop  Ussher  writes  i^  "  That  the  blessed  Ruada- 
mus  lived  at  Clonard  with  St.  Finnian,  reading  different  parts 
of  the  Scriptures ;  and  he  was  largely  profited  by  them." 
He  also  states  ''  of  St.  Kiaran,  who  greatly  loved  to  hear  and 
to  be  taught  from  the  divine  Scriptures,  even  to  decrepit 
years,  that  it  was  said  of  him  and  other  Hibernian  saints  of 
his  time,  that  they  came  in  their  old  ages  to  that  holy  and 
most  wise  man,  Finnian,  abbot  of  Clonard,  that  they  niiglit 

1  Collier's  "  Ecclesiastical  History,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  143. 

2  "The  Early  Scottish  Church,"  p.  62. 
8  "  Works,"  Vol.  VI.,  pp.  47J,  473. 


294         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH    CHURCHES. 

read  the  divine  writings  in  his  sacred  college."  Men,  full  of 
love  for  their  Bibles,  went  away  from  Finnian's  institution  to 
read  them  privately,  and  to  expound  them  publicly.  Bede  in- 
forms us  that  in  the  first  half  of  the  seventh  century,  Agilbert, 
a  Frenchman,  labored  as  a  bishop  among  the  West  Saxons 
for  many  years ;  he  also  writes  that  before  this  service,  "  he 
lived  a  long  time  iu  Ireland  for  the  purpose  of  readii^g  the 
Scriptures."  ^ 

In  A.  D.  664,  according  to  Bede,  a  pestilence '"^  ravaged 
the  southern  coast  of  Britain  and  the  kingdom  of  Northum- 
bria,  '*  destroying  a  great  multitude  of  men."  Its  harvest  of 
death  was  as  extensive  in  Ireland. 

Many  of  the  nobility  and  of  the  lower  ranks  of  the  English  nation 
were  in  Ireland  at  that  time,  either  for  the  sake  of  divine  studios  [the 
study  of  the  divine  Scriptures],  or  of  a  more  continent  life.  The 
Irish  willingly  received  them  all,  and  took  care  to  supply  them  with 
food;  as  also  to  furnish  them  with  books  to  read  and  their  teaching 
gratis, 

Bede  speaks  of  "  Egbert  and  Chad,  when  both  were  youths 
in  Ireland,  praying,  observing  continency,  and  meditating  on 
the  Holy  Scriptures."'  Professor  Stokes*  justly  observes, 
"  that  all  the  ancient  Irish  saints  were  specially  devoted  to  the 
study  and  exposition  of  Holy  Scripture." 

1  "Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  III.,  cap.  7. 

2  Ibid.,  cap.  27. 

3  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  IV.,  cap.  3. 

*  "  Ireland  and  the  Celtic  Church,"  p.  101. 


CHAPTER  V. 

COMMENTARIES   IN    MONASTERIES. 

-^.^TLuW.    a  SCO.    0,  C^^^^^^ 

Hiber„,a„com^e^,^  .nedthe    W«r^^  of'christian  books,  were 
d^edjt  D;u!:;i,rireland,  and  bythepagan  Anglo-Saxons 

in  Britain. 

The  earnest  examination  of  the  Scriptures  -— Ij  P- 
duces  something  in  the  form  of  an  «P«-  -^  .  J"  ^^f^^; 
character,  written  by  the  fathers,  especially  the  «o™°^e"'*^y 
ofjerle  upon  the  Vulgate,  are  well  known,  and  show  the 

ntet:  whii  the  early  Christians  took  -/«  holy  word 
Sunday-school   "helps"  are   commentaries  for  the   use  ot 
teachers-  and  such  expositions  were  never  so  generally  used 
rt     nr  day.     -^nd  yet,  among  the  ancient  British  and 
rrishChrUtians,  expositions  of  Scripture  were  common,  and 
w  re  freelv  usei  in  monasteries.     Pelagius,'  a  British  monk 
It  the  commencement  of  the  fifth  century,  wrote  short  notes 
in  thirteen  of  Paul's  Epistles;  and  so  popular  were       ey 
that  thev  were  wideW  read  and  greatly  admired  by  large 

numbersfmany  of  wh.n  were  ignorant  of  their  real  author  or 

"^^t:.  400,  Ninian,  a  Briton,  commenced  his  labors 
as  a  missionary  among  the  Southern  Picts,  -here  he  was 
largely  prospered  in  his  work.  He  wrote  a  commentary  upon 
L  Ps'alL.'^'  Augustine,'  an  Irish  -A  of  the  --th  c  n 
tury,  was  the  author  of  a  solution  of  the  <!;«'="''-  °t 'J^ 
Bible,   which   he   caOedJheJ-Wonders^f^ripti^ 

T^il^^T^rch  History,"  Vol.  I,  p.  366.    Dublin. 

!  Bede's  "  Eocles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  III.,  p.  4. 

J  ••  Ireland  and  the  Celtic  Church,"  pp.  221-4. 


296         ANCIENT   BRITISH    AND    IRISH    CHURCHES. 

which  he  treats  of  the  difficulties  in  the  historical  books,  in 
the  prophets,  and  in  the  New  Testament.  It  is  a  commentary 
upon  many  portions  of  Scriptures,  distinguished  by  learning 
and  intelligence,  and  fitted  for  usefulness.  He  rejects  the 
story  of  Bel  and  the  dragon,  "  because  it  has  not  the  authority 
of  Holy  Scripture  ;  and  declines  to  discuss  the  difficulties  of 
the  Maccabees  on  the  same  ground."  "  This  work  was  long 
ascribed  to  the  great  St.  Augustine  of  Hippo,  and  bound  up 
with  his  works. 

Jonas,  the  author  of  the  "  Life  of  Columbanus,"  the  Irish 
abbot  of  Bobbio,  in  Italy,  writes  of  him  : 

In  his  breast  the  treasures  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  were  so  laid  up, 
that  within  the  compass  of  his  youthful  years,  he  set  forth  an  elegant 
exposition  of  the  book  of  Psalms.^ 

Ussher  adds:  "By  whose  industry  afterward  the  study  of  God's 
word  was  so  propagated,  that  in  the  monasteries  which  were  founded 
according  to  his  rule  beyond  the  seas,  not  the  men  only,  but  the  reli- 
gious women  also,  did  carefully  attend  the  same,  that  through 
patience  and  comfort  of  the  Scripture  they  might  have  hope." 

Sedulius,^  a  Scot,  wrote  a  commentary  upon  the  Epistles  of 
Paul,  about  a.  d.  818,  distinguished  by  its  sound  teaching ; 
it  is  remarkably  Pauline  in  its  principles.  This  was  a 
favorite  view  of  the  doctrines  of  grace  in  the  days  of  Sedulius, 
though  not  one  which  was  universally  received. 

Colcu,  who  died  in  a.  d.  790,  is  represented  in  the  "  Annals 
of  the  Four  Masters,"  at  the  date  of  his  death  as  having  "  ar- 
rived at  such  eminence  in  learning  and  sanctity  that  he  was 
called  chief  scribe  and  master  [teacher]  of  the  Scots  in  Ire- 
land." "  He  made  St.  Paul's  Epistles  a  special  study,  and 
accepted  him  as  his  master  and  patron  in  the  letter  as  well  as 
in  the  spirit."  Mr.  Olden  ^  says  that  he  was  selected  by  his 
monastery  of  Clonmacnois  to  represent  its  people  in  a  theo- 
logical discussion,  and  "  that  in  consequence  of  his  successful 
vindication  of  St.  Paul,  the  story  went  that  when  returning 

'  Jonas  in  "  Vit.  Colnmbani,"  cap.  2. 
2  Dn  Pin's  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  140.    Dublin. 

^  "  The  Holy  Scriptures  in  Ireland  One  Thousand  Years  Ago,"  Preface,  p.  8. 
Dublin. 


m^^ 


I:  A}-^ 


aTi«vr*'4t?w 


A  page  from  the  "  Wurtzbarg  Glosses"  (in  Latin  and  Irish),  a  Coninientary 

15.    Tals        '   "  --— ^  — 

Page  29fi. 


on  raul's  Epistles,  about  a.  d.  815.    Taken  from  "Oklen's"  Translation. 


COMMENTARIES    IN    MONASTERIES. 


297 


ladeu  with  books  from  the  assembly,  St.  Paul  appeared  in 
person,  reUeved  him  of  his  burthen,  and  bore  it  to  his  desti- 
nation!" Sedulius  like  Colcu,  in  his  commentary,  rejects  the 
justifying  efficacy  of  works,  and  insists  that  faith  alone  confers 
that  matchless  blessing. 

Claudius,  another  Scot,  in  A.  d.  815,  completed  his  com- 
mentary on  Matthew,  as  he  tells  us  in  a  letter  preserved  by 
Ussher,  and  addressed  to  Justus,  the  abbot.  In  another  letter 
in  Ussher,  written  to  Dructerannus,  the  abbot,  he  speaks  of 
his  exposition  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Galatians;  and  of  his  ex- 
tensive selection  of  materials  for  commentaries  on  the  other 
Epistles.^  Like  the  notes  of  Sedulius,  the  expositions  of 
Claudius  bring  out  prominently  the  great  doctrines  of  evangel- 
ical Protestants  without  a  taint  of  Romanism,  though  they  are 
commended  by  him  to  the  abbots  of  two  monasteries. 

The  most  interesting   commentary  made  by  Irishmen,  now 
hioim  to  exist,  is  that  of  the  "  Wiirtzburg  Glosses  "  [comments]. 
Irish  monks  founded  a  monastery  at  Wiirtzburg,  in  Germany, 
at  an  early  period.     It  was  visited  by  Irish  ecclesiastics  as 
late  as  the  eleventh  and  twelfth  centuries.     It  is  supposed  that 
the  "  Glosses  "  were  placed  in  the  library  of  the  monastery  by 
some  of  these  Hibernians.     It  is  now  in  the  University  library 
of  Wiirtzburg.     The  comments  are  made  upon  an  older  Latin 
text  than  theVulgate  of  Jerome  ;    and  they  are  written  in 
Irish  "  of  the  eighth  or  the  beginning  of  the  ninth  century," 
as  competent  authorities  affirm.     It  contains  Paul's  Epistles, 
with  Colossians  placed  after  the  Second  Epistle  to  the  Thessa- 
lonians,  the  arrangement  followed  in  the  "Book  of  Armagh," 
and  in  some  of  the  ancient  codices.     Olden,  the  translator,  re- 
marks that  "  it  has  a  great  advantage  over  many  other  ancient 
documents  in  being  free  from  the  suspicion  of  interpolation  or 
alteration  ;  for  when  the  Irish  monasteries  on  the  Continent 
lost  their  national  [Irish]  character  .  .  .  there  was  no  one 
who  could  read  the  language."     Of  tbe^at^f  thisinvalua])le 

T;:^;;;-^^;;;^^^^;;^^  Usshers- works."   Vol.  IV. 

pp.  468,  471. 


298         ANCIENT   BRITISH    AND    IRISH    CHURC^JHES* 

document  the  translator  says,  "  Charlemagne  was  probably 
reigning,  or  at  least  he  could  not  have  been  long  in  his 
grave,"  when  the  "  Wiirtzburg Glosses  "  were  written.  The  ex- 
istence of  this  commentary  was  little  known  until  the  publi- 
cation of  the  great  work  of  Zeuss  on  Celtic  Grammar  in 
Berlin,  less  than  thirty  years  ago.  The  "  Glosses  "  themselves 
were  issued  from  the  press  in  Berlin  in  1881  ;  in  England 
they  were  translated  by  Dr.  Whitley  Stokes,  and  published 
by  the  Philolofrical  Societies  of  London  and  Cambridge,  in 
1887  ;  and  in  1888  they  were  issued,  somewhat  abridged,  in 
Dublin,  to  the  countrymen  of  their  three  original  authors,  in 
a  translation  made  by  a  learned  Irish  Episcopalian,  Rev. 
Thomas  Olden,  bearing  the  title,  *•  The  Holy  Scriptures  in 
Ireland  One  Thousand  Years  Ago."^ 

The  "  Glosses  "  are  very  brief  and  wonderfully  orthodox  ; 
their  theology  generally  is  in  complete  harmony  with  that  of 
Charles  H.  Spurgeon  ;  their  words  express  more  than  we  have 
ever  observed  in  the  lang^uage  of  any  other  writers.  These 
commentators  were  monastery  monks,  not  the  early  monks 
who  lived  with  special  devoutness  in  their  own  houses. 

We  have  many  reasons  for  believing  that  there  were  nu- 
merous other  commentaries  in  Ireland  and  Britain  some  of 
which  may  yet  be  found  on  the  Continent,  as  the  "  Wiirtzburg 
Glosses  "  were.  But  only  fragments  of  the  ancient  literature 
of  Ireland  escaped  the  destructive  fury  of  the  Danes,  though 
it  was  extensive  for  that  period,  as  many  scribes  were  in  the 
land.  The  writings  and  books  in  every  church  and  sanctuary 
where  they  were  kept  were  burned  and  thrown'into  the  water 
by  the  Danes,  from  the  beginning  of  their  ravages  in  a.  d. 
795  to  the  end  of  their  sway  in  Ireland. 

1 "  The  Holy  Scriptures  in  Ireland  One  Thousand  Years  Ago,"  Pref.  V.,  VI., 
p.  117. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

MONASTERIES  WERE  BIBLE  MANUFACTURING  AND  DISTRIBU- 
TING  SOCIETIES. 

Great  demand  upon  the  monasteries  for  Scriptures— Immense  num- 
ber of  copies  made  in  Ireland— Great  beauty  of  the  text  and 
splendor  of  ornament  attained  by  copyists— Giraldus  Cambrensis 
and  an  Irish  copy  of  the  Gospels  of  supposed  supernatural  origin  — 
"The  Book  of  Kells,"  "The  Book  of  Durrow,"  and  "St.  Cuth- 
bert's  Gospels,''  still  m  existence,  are  magnificent— Opinions  of  two 
modern  artists— The  Scriptorium  or  copying  room  in  every  ancient 
Protestant  monastery— An  eighth  century  prayer  for  its  toilers. 

The  early  monastery  was  a  Bible  society.  Tiiis  was  true 
of  all  the  pioneer  monasteries  of  the  British  islands.  Soon 
there  were  hundreds  of  these  institutions,  some  of  them  with 
thousands  of  students  under  one  abbot,  and  all  Bible  schools. 

Clonard  had  three  thousand  pupils,  who,  while  pursuing 
other  branches  of  learning,  were  chiefly  engaged  in  seeking 
Bible  knowledge.  This  throng,  even  with  the  scanty  allow- 
ance of  one  copy  to  three  or  four  persons,  would  require  from 
seven  hundred  and  fifty  to  a  thousand  New  Testaments. 
Then  Scriptures  were  needed  for  the  many  churches  depen- 
dent upon  the  monasteries.  Their  scribes  supplied  them  all ; 
and  their  students,  who  left  the  monastery  for  different  fields 
of  Christian  labor,  in  some  cases  made  New  Testaments  in 
hundreds.  These  monasteries  were  grand  Bible  making  and 
distributinor  societies. 

In  Ireland  the  copying  of  the  Scriptures  reached  the 
greatest  perfection  in  the  beauty  of  the  writing  and  in  tlie 
splendor  of  the  ornamentation.  Giraldus  ^  Cambrensis  writes 
of  a  copy  of  the  Gospels  which  he  saw  in  Kildare,  in  which, 

Every  page  is  illustrated  by  drawings  illuminated  with  a  variety  of 

1  "Topography  of  Ireland,"  Dist.  II.,  cap.  38. 

299 


300         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH    CHURCHES. 

brilliant  colors.  In  one  page  you  will  see  the  countenance  of  the 
Divine  Majesty  supernaturally  pictured;  in  another,  the  majestic 
forms  of  the  evangelists,  with  either  six,  four,  or  two  wings:  here  is 
depicted  the  eagle,  there  the  calf;  here  the  face  of  a  man,  there  of  a 
lion;  with  other  figures  in  almost  endless  variety.  .  .  If  you  apply 
yourself  to  a  more  close  examination,  and  are  able  to  penetrate  the 
secrets  of  the  art  displayed  in  these  pictures,  you  will  find  them  so 
delicate  and  exquisite,  so  finely  drawn,  and  the  work  of  interlacing 
so  elaborate,  while  the  colors  with  which  the^^  are  illuminated  are 
so  blended,  and  still  so  fresh,  that  you  will  be  ready  to  assert  that 
all  this  is  the  work  of  angelic  and  not  of  human  skill. 

Giraldus  states  that  the  Irish  in  his  day  believed  that  the 
"  book  was  written  at  the  dictation  of  an  angel."  A  footnote 
states  that  the  celebrated  Mr.  Petrie  regarded  this  work  as  the 
famous  "  Book  of  'Kells,''  still  preserved  in  the  library  of 
Trinity  College,  Dublin,  Ireland.  "  The  '  Book  of  Kells '  dates 
from  the  seventh  or  eighth  century ;  and  it  does  not  stand 
alone ;  the  '  Book  of  Durrow '  [in  the  same  library]  and 
numerous  MSS.  all  prove  that  a  high  state  of  artistic  skill  ex- 
isted in  the  monasteries  of  Ireland."  ^ 

In  a  work  of  great  value,^  with  splendid  illuminated  initial 
letters,  facsimiles  of  letters  made  by  ecclesiastical  scribes  from 
the  sixth  to  the  sixteenth  century,  it  is  stated : 

That  in  delicacy  of  handling,  and  minute  but  faultless  execution, 
the  whole  range  of  palaeography  oflPers  nothing  comparable  to  these 
early  Irish  manuscripts;  and  those  produced  in  the  same  style  in 
England,  by  the  monks  of  lona,  and  their  Anglo-Saxon  disciples  at 
Lindisfarne.  When  in  Dublin  some  years  ago,  I  had  the  opportunity 
of  studying  very  carefully  the  most  marvelous  of  all,  "The  Book  of 
Kells."  some  of  the  ornaments  of  which  I  attempted  to  copy;  but  I 
broke  down  in  despair.  Of  this  very  book  Mr.  Westwood  examined 
the  pages,  as  I  did,  for  hours  together,  without  ever  detecting  a  false 
line  or  an  irregular  interlacement.  No  wonder  that  tradition  should 
allege  that  these  unerring  lines  were  traced  by  angels. 

"  The  Art  of  Illuminating"  has  two  plates  containing  fac 
similes  of  superb  initial  lettei^  from  "  St.  Cuthbert's  Gospels," 

'  "  fr^land  and  the  Celtic  Church,"  pp.  206,  207. 

-  "  The  Art  of  Illuminating  as  Practiced  in  Europe  from  the  Earliest  Times,"  pp. 
U,  !•>.    London. 


MONASTERIES    WERE    BIBLE   SOCIETIES.  301 

otherwise  known  as  the  "  Durham  Book,"  now  in  the  British 
Museum.  "It  is  the  most  celebrated  production  of  the 
Anglo-Hibernian  monastery  of  Liudisfarne,  founded  by  St. 
Aidan  and  the  Irish  monks  of  lona."  "  This  manuscript  is 
surpassed  in  grandeur  only  by  the  '  Book  of  Kells.'  "^ 

If  Irish  monks  and  their  Anglo-Saxon  disciples  acquired 
such  eminence  in  the  writing  and  illuminating  of  the  Gospels 
in  the  seventh  and  eighth  centuries,  it  was  simply  because 
they  made,  as  is  well  known,  innumerable  copies  of  the  word 
of  God,  in  Gospels,  New  Testaments,  and  in  entire  Bibles ;  and 
their  experience,  gathered  from  generations  of  transcribers, 
and  from  hundreds  of  monasteries,  in  each  of  which  there  was 
a  band  of  writers  continually  at  work  making  copies  of  the 
Scriptures,  fitted  them  to  rank  as  the  manufacturers  of  the 
most  beautifully  written  and  the  most  splendidly  illuminated 
Scriptures  or  sections  of  Scriptures,  not  only  in  the  seventh 
and  eighth  centuries,  but  perhaps  of  all  time. 

The  Scriptorium  or  copying  room  was  in  every  Irish,  Cale- 
donian, Anglo-Hibernian,  and  Ancient  British  monastery. 
The  transcribing  room,  no  doubt,  varied  in  size,  and  in  the 
measure  of  its  activities,  but  warm  love  for  the  Bible  made 
its  existence  a  necessity.  A  prayer  for  the  Scriptorium,  in 
the  eighth  century,  in  a  French  Visigothic  MS.  by  monkish 
copyists,  was  probably  learned  from  some  British  or  Irish 
missionary  :  "  Vouchsafe,  O  Lord  !  to  bless  this  Scriptorium 
of  thy  servants,  and  all  that  dwell  therein ;  that  whatsoever 
sacred  writing  shall  be  here  read  or  written  by  them,  they 
may  receive  with  understanding  and  bring  the  same  to  good 
effect,  through  our  Lord."  ^  That  these  ancient  British  and 
Irish  Protestants  had  such  a  prayer  is  certain,  and  it  was 
many  times  answered. 

1  "  The  Art  of  Illuminating,"  p.  16.    London,  1860. 

2  Ibid.,  p.  27.    London. 


2a 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE  EARLY  BRITISH  AND  IRISH  MONASTERIES  WERE  THEO- 
LOGICAL SEMINARIES,  AND  HOME  AND  FOREIGN  MISSION 
SOCIETIES. 

Early  monasteries  were  theological  setninaries — Clonard  educated 
Columba  and  many  other  notable  men— Bangor,  in  Ireland, 
trained  Columbanus,  Gall  us,  and  other  church  teachers— Bangor, 
in  Wales,  instructed  Gildas,  the  learned  Dinooth,  and  the  entire 
British  ministers — Irish  monasteries  graduated  the  Hibernian 
clergy  for  ages— lona  was  the  chief  seminary  of  Caledonia,  where 
Aiden  and  the  other  Protestant  apostles  of  the  Anglo-Saxons 
learned  theology' — Monasteries  were  home  mission  societies — Ban- 
gor, in  Ireland,  an  example — They  were  foreign  Tnission  societies 
— Columba  and  the  Northern  Picts — Columbanus  in  France, 
Switzerland,  and  Italy — The  work  of  Gallus — Fridoiin— Thrud- 
pert— Kilian — Cataldus— Fiacre— Colman—Fursey—"  Swarms  "  of 
Irish  foreign  missionaries. 

Monasteries  were  theological  seminaries.  We  have  an 
example  of  this  in  the  "  Annals  of  the  Four  Masters,"  ^ 
which  states  that  St.  Finnian,  abbot  of  Clonard,  educated 
in  his  monastery  one  hundred  bishops,  and  instructed  many- 
celebrated  saints,  among  whom  were  the  two  Columbs, 
Coluracille  and  Columb  MacCrimthainn,  Brendan  of  Clon- 
fert,  Kieran  of  Clonmacnois,  and  many  other  clergymen, 
who  presided  over  churches,  or  became  presbyter  abbots. 
Bangor,  in  Ireland,  educated  large  numbers  of  clergymen, 
some  of  whom,  like  Columbanus  and  St.  Gall,  secured  a 
reputation  which  has  survived  the  wrecks  and  the  oblivion 
of  almost  thirteen  hundred  years.  Bangor,  in  Wales, 
sent  out  Gildas,  and  Dinooth,  who  distinguished  him- 
self in  resisting  Komish  Augustine  of  Canterbury,  and 
the  entire  clergy  of  the  ancient  Britons  for  a  long  period. 

1  At  a.  D.  548,  note.    O'DonoTan  ed. 
302 


EARLY   THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARIES.  .'503 

Monastic  Bible  schools  also  instructed  in  theology  the  entire 
ministry  of  Ireland  and  of  the  Northen  Picts  of  Scotland, 
for  generations,  and  the  great  Scottish  missionaries  and  their 
assistants,  whose  open  Bibles  and  full  salvation  led  two- 
thirds  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  ancesters  of  the  present  English 
people  to  the  Saviour. 

Monasteries  were  home  missionary  societies.  When  St. 
Comgall  founded  Bangor,  in  Ireland,  parts  of  the  country 
around  Loch  Neagh,  rendered  a  poor  support  to  an  ignorant 
population.  This  region,  while  not  in  the  immediate  neigii- 
borhood  of  Bangor,  was  probably  not  more  than  fifteen  or 
twenty  miles  from  it.  "  The  Glens  of  Antrim  "  were  about 
the  same  distance  from  Bangor,  whose  numerous  people  were 
only  in  comfortable  circumstances  after  participating  in  suc- 
cessful raids,  such  as  resulted  in  the  capture  of  St.  Patrick 
and  others.  In  peaceful  times  and  in  later  days,  the  popula- 
tion suffered  much  from  the  poverty  of  their  mountain  soil. 
And,  while  much  of  the  country  adjacent  to  Bangor  provided 
all  necessaries  for  its  people,  there  were  other  quarters 
besides  those  named,  which  needed  help  to  sustain  religious 
institutions,  and  missionaries  to  preach  Christ. 

All  over  these  destitute  regions,  ministers  from  Bangor 
preached  and  prayed  and  read  the  Scriptures  in  mountain 
huts,  in  fishermen's  cottages,  and  in  the  presence  of  large 
congregations.  By  the  labor  of  their  own  hands,  the  Bangor 
brethren  supported  themselves,  and  frequently  gave  assistance 
to  the  poor.  This  great  home  missionary  society  founded 
kirge  numbers  of  other  institutions  of  its  own  order,  preacli- 
ing  the  gospel  over  extensive  regions  of  the  north  of  Irehmd. 
literally  without  cost,  and  among  a  people  who  had  scanty,  if 
any  means  of  paying  for  it.  In  the  sixth  century,  when 
Bangor  was  established,  no  society  existed  to  support  home  or 
foreign  missions,  and  the  monastery  supplied  a  pressing  neces- 
sity. 

Monasteries  were  foreign  missionary  societies.  The  ancient 
Britons  evidently  believed  in  such  missions,  or  Patrick,  one 


304         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

of  their  nation,  would  never  have  preached  to  the  foreign 
Irish  pagans;  or  Ninian,  another  Briton,  to  the  heathen 
Southern  Pices.  The  remarkable  usefulness  of  Columba 
among  the  Northern  Picts,  in  uprooting  their  paganism,  pro- 
foundly moved  the  earnest  Christians  of  his  country.  Many 
hundreds  of  pious  Irishmen  in  monasteries  asked:  "Could 
not  we,  with  God's  blessing,  accomplish  as  much  among  some 
of  the  idolatrous  peoples  of  the  continent  of  Europe  ?  "  And 
soon  a  goodly  number  of  foreign  missionaries  started  for  dis- 
tant fields,  the  pioneers  of  a  large  army  soon  to  follow. 

Columbanus  made  France  his  first  mission  field.  France, 
in  his  day,  needed  the  labors  of  true  missionaries  nearly  as 
much  as  when  the  saintly  Greek  preachers  first  brought  the 
gospel  to  her  pagan  inhabitants.  He  took  with  him  twelve 
students  from  Bangor  to  aid  him  in  seeking  the  salvation  of 
the  Franks.^  He  founded  the  first  Irish  monastery  in  France  ; 
Luxeuil  and  Fontaines  followed  soon  after.  These,  like  other 
Irish  abbeys,  were  chiefly  great  schools,  and  they  were  soon 
crowded  by  the  sons  of  the  most  powerful  Franks  and  Bur- 
gundians.  The  influence  of  Columbanus  spread  in  all  direc- 
tions ;  education  and  the  gospel  triumphed  widely  over  bar- 
barism and  irreligion.  For  twenty  years  this  eminent  man 
labored  until  his  name  and  successful  work  were  known  over 
France,  and  in  some  degree  over  Europe  Fredegarius,  the 
continuator  of  the  "  History  of  France,"  by  Gregory  of  Tours, 
writing  of  Columbanus,  at  the  height  of  his  prosperity  at 
Luxeuil,  says : 

The  fame  of  the  blessed  Columbanus  increased  everywhere  in  the 
cities,  and  in  all  the  provinces  of  Gaul  and  Germany;  by  universjii 
report  he  was  worthy  of  commendation,  and  he  was  venerable  wit'n 
the  honor  given  to  him  by  all,  so  that  King  Thierry  frequently  came 
to  him  to  Luxeuil,  and  with  all  humility,  solicited  an  interest  in  his 
prayers.'^ 

Brunehault,  the  grandmother  of  King  Thierry,  in  A.  d. 

1  Du  Pin's  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Vol.  II,  cap.  4.    Dublin,  1723. 

2  In  "  Gregorii  Opera  Omnia,"  p.  624,  Pair.  Lat.,  Tom.  LXXI.    Migne 


EARLY   THEOLOGICAL   SEMINARIES.  305 

610,  banished  him  from  Burgundy,  where  his  monasteries 
were  established. 

Columbanus  and  Gallus  labored  three  years  in  Switzerland 
and  founded  a  mission  from  which  considerable  success  imme- 
diately resulted.  The  rage  of  the  heathen,  however,  at  the 
destruction  of  one  of  their  temples  ^  by  Columbanus,  seriously 
impaired  the  usefulness  of  the  mission  for  a  time,  though  it 
afterward  yielded  rich  harvests. 

In  A.  D.  613,  Columbanus  entered  Italy,  where  he  was  cor- 
dially received  by  Agilulf,  king  of  the  Lombards,  who  gave 
him  an  ancient  church,  and  lands  near  Pavia,  upon  which  he 
erected  the  monastery  of  Bobbio.     Here,  in  his  last  days,  his 
plans  and  toils  secured  abundant  fruits  in  the  conversion  of 
great  numbers  of  pagans  and  Lombard  Arians,  and  in  col- 
lecting an  extensive  library  of  invaluable  books.     A  learned 
writer  says  :  "  The  Bobbio  manuscripts  are  known  everywhere 
by  the  discoveries  which  have  been  made  in  their  palimsests.'" 
Columbanus  died  in  A.  D.  615.     He  was  a  Christian  of  the 
apostolic  order.     He  felt  within  him,  as  Jonas  of  Bobbio,  his 
biographer,  states,  "that  fire  which  our  Saviour  says  he  came 
to  kindle  on  the  earth."     In   his  "  Rules  "  for  the   spiritual 
life  he  writes  in  the  first :  "  We  do  not  seek  a  God  staying  far 
from  us,  but  one  whom  we  have  received  within  us ;    for  he 
dwells  in  us  as  the  soul  dwells  in  the  body,  if  we  are  his  sound 
members." '     No   man  ever  loved  the  Bible  more  warmly  ; 
and  no  man  ever  seemed  more  anxious  for  the  salvation  of 
souls.      He  had  no  more  respect  for  a  pope  than  for   an 
Irish  monk  ;  perhaps  not  as  much,  as  his  writings  show.     He 
was    a  fearless   missionary   of  Christ   from  Hibernia;    sup- 
porting himself  and  other  missionaries  by  his  monastic  insti- 
tutions. 

Gallus,  who  came  from  Ireland  with  Columbanus,  and  was 
unable  through  disease  to  go   with  him  to  Bobbio,  after  his 

1  Neander's  "  General  History  of  the  Christian  Church,"  Vol.  III.,  p.  34. 

2  "  The  Art  of  Illuminating,"  pp.  14,  15.    London. 

3  Cited  in  Neander's  "  General  History  of  the  Christian  Church,    Vol.  III.,  pp. 
29.  32. 


306         ANCIENT   BRITISH    AND    IRISH    CHURCHES. 

recovery  began  to  preach  among  the  idolaters  of  Switzerland 
in  their  own  language,  which  he  had  learned ;  he  received 
so  much  encouragement  from  the  great  number  of  converts, 
tnat  he  built  the  monastery  named  by  the  people  "  St.  Gall," 
which  flourished  greatly.  The  missionary's  name  was  not 
only  given  to  the  monastery,  but  to  the  city  which  grew  up 
around  it,  and  to  the  Swiss  canton  of  that  name.  There  is  a 
sermon  of  Gallus  extant  which  he  preached  at  the  ordination 
of  his  disciple,  John,  as  bishop  of  Constance,  a  position  which 
he  secured  for  him  after  declining  it  himself.  Archbishop 
Ussher  refers  to  the  sermon  ^  with  evident  approval,  as  it  ac- 
corded strongly  with  his  own  vigorous  Calvinistic  opinions. 
Gallus  lived  to  the  age  of  ninety-five,  according  to  Mabillon, 
in  great  reputation  and  honor,  having  led  multitudes  to  Christ. 
The  monastery  of  St.  Gall  collected  a  large  library,  rich  to 
this  day  in  ancient  Irish  manuscripts.  As  a  competent  writer 
says,  "  The  library  of  St.  Gall  is  too  celebrated  to  require 
mention."  ^ 

Soon  after  the  death  of  Gallus,  according  to  Neander,  a 
monk  named  Thrudpert,  a  Hibernian,  went  to  Bresgau,  in 
the  "  Black  Forest,"  and  Kilian,  from  Ireland,  preached  in 
a  part  of  the  Frankish  territory.  Bishop  Reeves,  of  the  Irish 
Episcopal  Church,  a  very  learned  writer  upon  Hibernian  an- 
tiquities, states  that  Fridolin  preached  in  what  is  now  known 
as  the  canton  of  Glarus,  in  which  his  figure  finds  a  place  in 
the  cantonal  arms  and  banner.  St.  Cataldus,  from  Ireland, 
preached  in  Southern  Italy,  where  San  Cataldo,  near  Otranto, 
is  named  after  him  ;  St.  Fiacre,  from  the  same  country,  in 
France,  and  the  Irish  St.  Colman,  is  patron  saint  of  Lower 
Austria.^ 

According  to  Roger  of  Wendover,  *  about  a.  d.  649, 
prompted  by  love  for  Christ,  Fursey  visited  France,  and  ex- 
ercised his  ministry  there  with  success,  and  founded  a  monas- 

1  "  Works,"  Vol.  IV.,  p.  252. 

2  "  The  Art  of  Illuminating,"  p.  15.    London 

»  Cited  in  "  Ireland  and  the  Celtic  Church,"  p.  131.    Dublin,  1888. 
*  "  Flowers  of  History  "  at  A.  D.  449. 


EARLY   THEOLOGICAL   SEMINARIES.  307 

tery  at  Lagny.  He  was  joined  by  his  brothers,  "  Foillan  and 
Ultan,  who  became  eminent  in  France  "  ;  Foillan  afterward 
established  the  monastery  of  Fosse. 

The  names  of  hundreds  of  the  Hibernian  missionaries  are 
foro-otten ;  and  of  those  who  are  known  the  names  of  only  a 
few  are  given.  Speaking  of  the  multitudes  of  Irish  mission- 
aries in  France  Michelet  i  says, "  these  holy  adventurers,  these 
bird-like  travelers,  alight  in  flocks  in  Gaul." 

Neander  writes :  "  The  monasteries  of  Ireland  were  filled  to 
overflowing  .  .  .  Thus  whole  colonies  of  monks  under  the 
guidance  of  solid,  judicious  men  as  their  abbots,  emigrated 
into  these  parts  "  ^  [idolatrous  portions  of  Germany].  There 
is  every  reason  for  believing  that  Hibernian  Columbanus  was 
the  William  Carey  who  led  the  great  Irish  and  Anglo-Saxon 
missions  on  the  continent  of  Europe  in  the  seventh  and  eighth 

centuries.  . 

Patrick,  the  missionary  who  brought  the  Irish  to  Christ ; 
Columba,  his  religious  descendant,  who  evangelized  a  large 
part  of  Scotland ;  Aidan,  Finan,  and  Colman,  disciples  of 
Columba,  and  of  Patrick's  churches,  who,  under  God,  con- 
verted hosts  of  the  Anglo-Saxons,  and  Columbanus  and  his 
multitudes  of  missionary  associates  and  successors,  who  laid 
the  foundations  of  many  gospel  triumphs  among  European 
pagans,  deserve  the  admiration  and  love  of  the  Christian 
world. 


1  "History  of  France,"  Vol.  L,  p.  72.    New  York. 

2  "  General  History  of  the  Christian  Church."  Vol.  III.,  p.  29.    Boston. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

MONASTERIES    AMONG    THE    ANCIENT    BRITONS    AND    IRISH 

WERE    LEARNED    UNIVERSITIES;     MARRIAGE    IN 

CONNECTION    WITH    MONASTERIES. 

Bede  and  the  scholarship  of  British  Bangor— Dr.  Johnson  and 
learning  in  Ireland — Malniesbury,  Lingard,  and  Ussher  on  the 
learning  of  Irish  monasteries — Students  from  every  country  at  Lis- 
more — Dagobert  II.,  of  France,  educated  at  Slane — Irish  Virgil 
announced  the  rotundity  of  the  earth  in  the  eighth  century — Irish 
Clemens  succeeded  Alcuin  as  principal  of  Charlemagne's  palace 
school — Marriage  in  connection  with  monasteries— Seventh  Day 
Baptist  monks  and  nuns, 

Bede,  speaking  of  the  delegation  of  Britons  who  came  to 
meet  Romish  Augustine  in  a.  d.  603,  says :  "  There  came, 
as  it  is  asserted,  seven  bishops  of  the  Britons  and  many  most 
learned  men,  particularly  from  their  most  noble  monastery  of 
Bangor."  ^  Bede  was  a  man  of  fine  scholarship  ;  and  his  tes- 
timony to  the  learning  of  these  Bangor  men  is  important. 

The  Rev.  Thomas  Olden,  in  his  preface  to  the  "  Wiirtzburg 
Glosses,"  quotes  the  statement  of  Dr.  Johnson  :  "  Ireland  was 
the  school  of  the  West,  the  quiet  habitation  of  sanctity  and 
literature."  To  most  readers  this  declaration,  even  from 
Samuel  Johnson,  appears  almost  incredible  ;  and  yet  historical 
students  everywhere  repeat  it. 

Michelet,  writing  of  the  seventh  century,  states  that  **all 
the  sciences  were  at  this  period  cultivated  with  much  renown  in 
the  Scotch  and  Irish  monasteries."  ^  "  Ireland,"  he  says, 
"  was  always  the  school  of  the  West,  the  mother  of  monks, 
and  the  isle  of  saints,  as  it  was  termed."  ^ 

William  of  Malmesbury,  states  that  Alfrid,  a  Northumbrian 

1  "Eccles.  Hist.,"  Lib.  II.,  cap.  2. 

2  "  History  of  France,"  Vol.  I,  p.  102.    N.  Y. 

3  Ibid.,  p.  137.   N.  Y. 

308 


MONASTERIES,   LEARNED    UNIVERSITIES.  309 

prince,  iu  the  end  of  the  seventh  century,  retired  to  Ireland, 
where,  safe  from  the  persecution  of  his  brother,  "  he  became 
deeply  versed  in  literature,  and  enriched  his  mind  with  every 
kind  of  learning."  ^ 

In  the  end  of  the  seventh  century,  Lingard  writes : 

The  monasteries  of  Ireland  and  the  western  isles  [of  Scotland] 
were  filled  with  men  whose  well-earned  reputation  was  acknow- 
ledged by  the  other  Christian  nations  of  Europe.  The  praise  of  their 
virtue  and  learning  had  been  the  favorite  theme  of  Aidan,  Finan, 
and  Col  man,  the  first  three  bishops  of  Lindisfarne  [England];  and 
the  desire  of  improvement  induced  a  crowd  of  noble  youths  to  cross 
the  sea,  and  assist  at  the  lessons  of  those  foreign  masters.' 

Archbishop  Ussher  has  preserved  many  testimonies  to 
"  the  reputation  of  Irish  schools,  especially  for  the  teaching 
of  the  Holy  Scriptures."  One  of  these  is  about  the  great 
monastic  school  of  Lismore,  in  the  county  of  Waterford. 
The  archbishop  inserts  a  Latin  poem  of  considerable  length,^ 
eight  lines  of  which  we  quote  from  an  excellent  translation  of 
Olden,  in  his  Preface  to  the  "  Wiirtzburg  Glosses  " : 

Now  haste  Sicambri  from  the  marshy  Khine; 
Bohemians  now  desert  their  cold  north  land ; 
Auvergne  and  Holland  too,  add  to  the  tide  ; 
Forth  from  Geneva's  frowning  cliflfs  they  throng; 
Helvetia's  youth  by  Rhone  and  by  Saone 
Are  few  :  the  Western  isle  is  now  their  home. 
All  these,  from  many  lands,  and  by  many  diverse  paths, 
Rivals  in  pious  zeal,  seek  Lismore's  famous  seat. 

Among  the  students  at  Slane  monastic  school,  in  the  seventh 
century,  was  Dagobert  II.,  king  of  France ;  other  persons  of 
much  prominence,  and  many  of  great  ability,  received  their 
education  in  Irish  monastic  colleges.*    Dr.  Maclaine  writes : 

That  the  Irish  distinguished  themselves  in  those  times  of  ignorance 
[the  eighth  century]  by  the  culture  of  the  sciences  beyond  all  the 
other  European  nations,   traveling  through  the  most  distant  lands, 

»  "  Chronicle  of  the  Kings  of  England,"  Lib  I.,  cap.  3. 
8  "  Antiquities  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  Church,"  p.  259. 

3  Ussher's  "  Works,"  Vol.  VI.,  p.  304. 

4  "Ireland  and  the  Celtic  Church,"  p.  209. 


310         ANCIENT    BRITISH    AND    IRISH    CHURCHES. 

both  with  a  view  to  improve,  and  to  communicate  their  knowledge, 
is  a  fact  with  which  I  have  long  been  acquainted.^ 

Virgil,  bishop  of  Salzburg,  in  Germany,  in  the  eighth  cen- 
tury, first  proclaimed  the  rotundity  of  the  earth  and  the  ex- 
istence of  the  antipodes;  besides  which  he  preached  the 
blessed  gospel  with  unusual  success. 

Charlemagne  had  a  school  in  connection  with  his  royal  res- 
idence, which  he  attended  as  a  student ;  and  to  which  all  the 
officials  of  the  court,  and  many  others  were  accustomed  to  go. 
Alcuin,  a  native  of  England,  and  the  most  celebrated  educa- 
tor of  his  day,  was  the  first  principal  of  this  remarkable  in- 
stitution. Clemens,  a  Hibernian,  became  his  successor  when 
he  retired  ;  as  Lingard  ^  and  others  relate,  Clemens  was  des- 
titute of  all  support,  except  such  as  extraordinary  learning 
could  give  a  wandering  Irishman.  And  through  it,  he  re- 
ceived from  Europe's  greatest  soldier  and  sovereign,  the  most 
conspicuous  literary  appointment  of  the  age  in  which  he 
lived. 

Neander  writes: 

As  in  the  Irish  monastaries  not  only  the  Latin,  but  also  the  more 
free-spirited  Greek  Church  fathers,  the  writings  of  an  Origen,  were 
studied;  so  it  naturally  came  about  that  from  that  school  issued  a 
more  original  and  free  development  of  theology  than  was  elsewhere 
to  be  found,  and  was  thence  propagated  to  other  lands.' 

Irishmen,  as  preachers  of  the  gospel,  were  met  in  every  sec- 
tion of  pagan  Europe ;  and  they  were  found  as  instructors  in 
literature  and  art  wherever  they  could  secure  pupils.  These 
Protestants  were  the  most  conspicuous  evangelists  and  educa- 
tors in  Europe.     Ussher  states : 

Our  monasteries  in  ancient  times  were  the  seminaries  of  the  minis- 
try ;  being,  as  it  were,  so  many  colleges  of  learned  divines,  unto  which 
the  people  did  resort  for  instruction  .  .  .  Yea,  this  was  the  principal 
means  by  which  a  knowledge,  both  of  the  Scriptures  and  of  all  other 

J  Mosheim's  "  Ecclea.  Hist.,"  Maelaine,  p.  175,   note.    Baltimore. 
*  ''  Antiquities  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  Church,"  p.  209.   Phila. 
3  Neander's  "  History  of  the  Church,"  Vol.  III.,  p.  460. 


MONASTERIES,    LEARNED   UNIVERSITIES.  311 

good  learning,  was  preserved  in  that  inundation  of  barbarism,  where- 
with the  whole  West  was  in  a  manner  overwhelmed  ' 

Marriage  probably  existed,  not  in,  but  in  connection  with, 
most  of  the  British  and  Irish  monasteries.  We  see  no  rea- 
son to  doubt  the  statement  of  Michelet,  that  "  the  Culdees 
of  Ireland  and  Scotland  permitted  themselves  marriage,  and 
were  independent,  even  when  living  under  the  rule  of  their 

order."  ^ 

But  the  mania  that  celibacy  possessed  a  special  sanctity 
spread  over  the  world,  and  many  of  St.  Patrick's  religious, 
Bible-loving  descendants  were  caught  in  its  delusive  snares. 
It  is  surprising   that  such   a   practice   should  exist   among 
modern  Baptists  of  any  denomination,  and  yet  the  German 
Seventh  Day  Baptists  of  Pennsylvania,  in  1733,  established  an 
order  of  monks  and  nuns.     They  adopted  the  white  habit  of 
the  Capuchins  ;  they  wore  cowls  ;  they  applied  monastic  names 
to  those  who  united  with  them.     In  1740  there  were  thirty-six 
brethren  in  the  cloisters  and  thirty-five  sisters.     "  They  con- 
sidered  celibacy  a  virtue,"  and  quoted  the  apostles  as  favor- 
ing that  opinion.     "  This  was  a  fondly  cherished  theme  and 
was  constantly  inculcated ;  it  was  a  prolific  subject  for  many  of 
of  their  hymns,  which  seemed  to  hallow  and  sanctify  virginity." 
These  monks  and  nuns  regarded  the  Bible  as  the  "only 
rule   of  faith   and   practice";    they  relied  solely  upon  the 
Saviour's  atonement  for  salvation  ;  their  views  of  the  Trinity 
were   orthodox.     Some   of  their   doctrines  were   Arminian, 
while  a  few  of  their  observances  came  from  the  Dunkards. 
They  were  evangelical,  immersed  believers,  with  a  valid  claim 
upon  the  regards  of  true  Christians,  notwithstanding  their 
curious   monastic  practices.^      The  early  British  and   Irish 
monks  who  were  not  married,  wore  no  cowls  nor  Capuchin 
habits,  and  exhibited  a  zeal  for  the  salvation  of  pagans  never 
surpassed  even  in  apostolic  times. 


1  Ussher'3  "  Works,"  Vol.  IV.,  pp  297-8. 

8  "  History  of  France,"  Vol.  I.,  p.  72.    N.  Y.  ,,^  ,o   -p»,u 

3  »  The  Religious  Deuominationa  of  the  United  States,"  pp  110-12,  1  lui 


1859. 


BOOK  VI. 

SOxME  OF  THE  DOCTKINES  AND  OBSERVANCES  OF 
THE  ANCIENT  BRITISH  AND  IRISH  CHRISTIANS. 


CHAPTER  I 


SIN   AND   SALVATION. 


Views  scriptural— Man  naturally  under  the  control  of  sin— His  spir- 
itual vision  darkened  thereby— Salvation  not  acquired  by  human 
merit  or  efforts— Righteousness  to  be  found  in  Christ. 

Commenting  upon  Romans  5:6,  "  When  we  were  yet 
without  strength,  in  due  time  Christ  died  for  the  ungodly," 
the  "  Wiirtzburg  Glosses "  say :  "  Ungodly :  all  were  un- 
godly, as  it  is  written,  *  There  is  none  that  doeth  good,  no  not 
one.'  "1 

Sedulius,  a  Hibernian,  whose  work  is  of  the  same  date  as 
the  "  Glosses,"  in  his  notes  on  the  second  chapter  of  Ephe- 
sians,  states  "  that  the  minds  of  men  from  youth  are  set  upon 
evil ;  for  there  is  not  a  man  who  sinneth  not "  ;  and  upon  the 
fourth  chapter  of  first  Corinthians  ^  he  writes  that  a  man 
*'  hath  nothing  from  himself  but  sin." 

Claudius,^  an  Irish  writer  of  the  same  age  as  Sedulius,  in  his 
commentary  on  Matthew,  Book  First,  says:  "God  is  the 
author  of  all  good  things,  both  of  good  affections  and  a  good 
will,  which,  unless  God  sets  it  in  motion,  a  man  cannot  exer- 
cise ;  for  a  good  will  in  man  is  prepared  by  the  Lord ;  that  by 
the  gift  of  God  he  may  do  that  which  of  himself  he  was  un- 
able to  accomplish  by  the  desire  of  his  free  will."  Sedulius, 
on  the  ninth  chapter  of  Romans,  writes :  "  God's  mercy  shall 
go  before  me,  and  his  mercy  shall  follow  after  me ;  it  sroes 

1  "  The  Holy  Scriptures  in  Ireland  One  Thousand  Years  Ago,"  p.  11. 

2  Cited  in  Ussher's  "  Works,"  Vol.  IV.,  pp.  253,  254. 

312 


SIN   AND   SALVATION.  313 

before  an  unwilling  man  that  he  may  will  [aright],  and  it 
follows  after  the  willing  that  he  may  not  will  in  vain." 
These  Irish  commentators  speak  briefly,  but  very  strongly, 
about  the  dominion  of  sin  over  unregenerate  persons.  To 
them  its  tyrannical  power  is  so  great  that  a  man  must  be 
born  of  the  Holy  Spirit  before  he  can  render  acceptable 
service  to  God.  Even  John  Scotus,  the  great  advocate  of  the 
freedom  of  the  will  in  the  ninth  century,  admits  this  doctrine 
fully. 

At  the  request  of  Charles  the  Bald,  in  a.  d.  851,  Scotus 
joined  in  a  common  attack  upon  Gottchalk's  theory  of 
"  Double  Predestination."  Neander  quotes  this  striking  illus- 
tration from  him :  "As  a  man  in  the  dark,  though  he  pos- 
sesses the  ability  to  see  with  his  eyes,  yet  sees  nothing  till  the 
light  comes  from  without ;  so  is  it  with  the  corrupt  will  till 
the  light  of  divine  mercy  shines  upon  it."^  The  divines  of 
Ireland  were  agreed  that  men  were  naturally  under  the  con- 
trol of  sin. 

Irish  commentators  teach  the  doctrine  that  salvation  is  not 
acquired  by  human  merits  or  efforts,  as  clearly  as  if  they  had 
lived  after  Luther's  great  Reformation  instead  of  many  cen- 
turies before  it.  Sedulius,  expounding  the  second  chapter  of 
Ephesians,  says :  "  By  grace  are  ye  saved  through  faith ; 
that  is,  not  by  works."  And,  upon  the  second  chapter  of 
Galatians,  he  writes  that  "  Grace  is  mean  and  vain  if  it  alone 
[without  works]  is  not  sufficient  for  me."  Upon  the  third 
chapter  of  Galatians  he  comments,  "Ye  hold  Christ  to  be 
worthless  as  long  as  you  think  that  he  is  not  sufficient  [with- 
out your  merits]  for  your  salvation."'  The  "Wiirtzburg 
Glosses,"  expounding  Romans  11  :  6,  "  And  if  by  grace,  then 
it  is  no  more  of  works ;  otherwise  grace  is  no  more  grace," 
etc.,  reads,  "  By  *  grace ':  if  it  is  grace,  works  have  not  pre- 
ceded it ;'  that  is,  grace,  and  not  human  effort,  is  the  original 
cause  of  all  true  religion  in  the  soul.  

fNeander's^General  History  of  the  Christian  Church/'  Vol.  III.,  p.  488. 

2  Ussher's  "  Works,"  Vol.  IV.,  p.  255. 

•  "  The  Holy  Scriplures  in  Ireland  One  Thousand  Years  Ago,"  p.  30. 

2b 


314         ANCIENT    BRITISH    AND    IRISH    CHURCHES. 

The  same  exposition  upon  the  words  "  obtain  mercy,"  in 
Roman  11  :  31,  says :  "  It  is  by  mercy  that  they  will  be  saved 
when  they  believe,  and  not  by  merit ;  nor  by  the  work  of  the 
law."  ' 

The  "Wiirtzburg  Glosses,"  expounding  Ephesians  2  :  7, 
"That  in  the  ages  to  come  he  might  show  the  exceeding 
riches  of  his  grace  in  his  kindness  toward  us  through  Christ 
Jesus,"  says,  "  '  Grace ';  it  is  his  grace  that  saved  us,  and  not  our 
own  merits."  ^  In  the  exposition  of  the  "  Wiirtzburg  Glosses," 
on  Philippians  3:9,  "  And  be  found  in  him,  not  having  mine 
own  righteousness,"  we  resid,  "  rig hteoiisness :  he  shows  here 
that  it  is  the  righteousness  of  Christ  that  justifies,  and  not  the 
righteousness  of  the  law,"  ^  secured  by  our  obedience  to  it. 
These  ancient  Christians,  while  contending  for  holy  lives  in 
all  believers,  emphatically  renounced  salvation  by  human 
merits. 

1  "  The  Holy  Scriptures  in  Ireland  One  Thousand  Years  Ago,"  p.  33. 

2  Ibid.,  p.  88.  3  Ibid,  p.  93. 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE   ATONEMENT   AND   CONVERSION. 

Substitutionary  nature  of  Christ's  death— Blood  of  Calvary,  theme 
of  preaching— Saviour  s  death  only  atoning  agent— Patrick's  recog- 
nition of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  conversion— Deliverance  from  sin  by 
grace— Columbanus  on  conversion. 

The  substitutionary  character  of  Christ's  death  is  very 
clearly  taught  by  the  ancient  British  and  Irish  writers.  St. 
Patrick,  the  Briton,  had  a  vision  apparently  about  his  mis- 
sion to  the  pagan  Hibernians ;  and  in  it  he  heard  these  words : 
"  He  who  gave  his  life  for  thee,  is  he  who  speaks  in  thee." 
These  words  are  found  in  his  "  Confession."  Patrick  un- 
doubtedly thought  that  Christ  uttered  them.  The  reference 
to  the  Saviour's  gift  of  his  life  shows  that  in  Patrick's  opinion 
Christ  died  as  his  substitute  upon  the  cross. 

In  Fiacc's  hymn,  a  composition  of  the  eighth  century, 
giving  the  leading  incidents  in  St.  Patrick's  life,  the  author 
writes  of  him :  "  He  preached  for  three-score  years  Christ's 
cross  to  the  tribes  of  the  Feni  [Hibernians]."^  The"Wurtz. 
burg  Glosses"  thus  explains  the  twentieth  verse  of  the  first 
chapter  of  Colossians  :  "  And  having  made  peace  through  the 
blood  of  his  cross,  by  him  to  reconcile  all  things  unto  himself: 
cross':  this  is  the\iame  of  the  act  of  crucifying.'"'  The 
blood  of  Calvary  was  the  theme  of  Patrick's  preaching,  and 
of  the  sermons  of  his  followers  for  some  ages  after  his  death. 

The  same  writers,  expounding  the  words,  "Christ  hath  re- 
deemed us  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  being  made  a  curse  for 
us  "  (Gal.  3  :  13),  say,  "  '  Curse ';  he  was  offered  up  on  account 
of  sin  and  the  curse."  ^ 


.409. 


1  In  "  Government  Tripartite  Life  of  Patrick,"  Vol.  II.,  p. 

2  "  The  Holy  Scriptures  in  Ireland  One  Thousand  Years  Ago,"  p.  101. 

.ibM„"P.M. 


316         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND    IRISH    CHURCHES. 

Again,  in  their  note  on  Colossians  2:14,  "  Blotting  out  the 
handwriting  of  ordinances  that  was  against  us,  which  was 
contrary  to  us,  and  took  it  out  of  the  way,  nailing  it  to  his 
cross,"  they  write  :  "  '  Ordinances ';  death  was  decreed  to 
us.  '  Nailing  it ';  so  that  it  was  drowned  in  his  blood."  ^ 
According  to  this  venerable  commentary,  the  notes  of  which 
were  written  in  Irish  more  than  a  thousand  years  ago,  the 
only  atoning  agent  known  to  its  authors  was  the  Saviour's 
agonizing  death  upon  the  cross. 

"  The  Lord  opened  to  me  the  knowledge  of  my  unbelief, 
that  even  late  I  might  remember  my  sins,  and  turn  to  my 
Lord  with  my  whole  heart."  Such  is  Patrick's  account  of 
the  commencement  of  the  divine  life  in  his  soul.  It  occurs 
in  the  first  chapter  of  his  "  Confession,"  in  this  work.  It  is 
very  like  the  account  given  by  Luke  (Acts  16 :  14)  of  the 
conversion  of  Lydia,  "  whose  heart  the  Lord  opened  that  she 
attended  unto  the  things  which  were  spoken  of  Paul." 

Patrick  writes  again,  in  the  same  chapter  of  the  "  Confes- 
sion," at  the  end  of  what  is  called  his  creed :  "  He  hath 
poured  out  upon  us  abundantly  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  gift 
and  assurance  of  immortality,  who  causes  men  to  believe 
and  to  become  obedient  that  they  might  be  sons  of  God  and 
joint  heirs  with  Christ."  Here  faith,  obedience,  sonship 
with  God,  and  the  assurance  of  immortality  come  exclu- 
sively from  the  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  upon  the  unsaved. 

Sedulius,  in  his  commentary  on  Ephesians,  chap.  3,  writes: 
"  We  are  saints  ^  by  the  calling  of  God,  not  by  the  merit  of 
our  deed;  "  "  according  to  the  power  that  worketh  in  us,  not 
according  to  our  merits."  The  Spirit  of  God,  not  our  act, 
calls  us  into  the  kingdom  of  Christ ;  and  he  works  in  us  both 
to  will  and  to  do  of  God's  good  pleasure.  The  "  Wiirtzburg 
Glosses,"  ^  expounding  Romans  6  :  18,  "  Being  then  made  free 

1 "  The  Holy  Scriptures  in  Ireland  One.Thousand  Years  Ago,"  p.  103. 

«  Cited  in  Ussher,  Vol.  IV.,  p.  261. 

*  "  The  Holy  Scriptures  in  Ireland  One  Thousand  Years  Ago,"  p.  15. 


THE    ATONEMENT   AND   CONVERSION.  317 

from  sin,  ye  became  the  servant  of  righteousness,"  says :  "  Not 
through  yourselves,  but  by  God  and  his  grace  "  ;  that  is,  God 
and  his  grace  delivered  us  from  slavery  to  sin,  and  gave  us 
power  to  serve  the  righteous  Saviour. 

Coragall  of  Bangor,  Ireland,  in  the  sixth  century  writes : 
"  Religion  does  not  consist  in  bodily  efforts,  but  in  humility 
of  heart."^  Columbanus,  a  Hibernian  missionary  in  the  be- 
ginning of  the  seventh  century,  in  his  "  Rules  for  the  Spiritual 
Life,"  gives  a  striking  account  of  the  source  and  supremacy 
of  the  religious  power  of  the  soul.  He  says  :  "  We  have  ac- 
cepted a  God  abiding  not  far  from  us,  one  whom  we  have 
received  within  us  ;  for  if  we  are  his  saved  members,  he  dwells 
in  us  as  the  soul  in  the  body."  ^  According  to  Columbanus, 
when  a  man  is  converted,  the  Spirit  enters  his  heart  and  he  is 
born  of  God ;  and  as  the  temple  of  God  he  lives  there,  work- 
ing in  him  that  he  should  bear  "  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit, 
love,  joy,  peace,  long-suffering,  gentleness,  goodness,  faith, 
meekness,  temperance." 

1  Cited  in  Neander,  Vol.  III.,  p.  31.  «  Ibid.,  p.  32.    Note. 


CHAPTER  III. 

JUSTIFICATION,    LIFE,    AND    INTERCESSION. 

Maccu-Mactheni  on  justification — Faith  in  Christ  the  basis  of  it- 
Justification  by  faith  held  in  strictest  purity— Christ  the  source  of 
the  believer's  new  life— Teaching  of  the  "  Glosses  "  thereon— Holy 
hearts  and  lives  insisted  on— Mary's  intercessory  office  not  men- 
tioned— No  intercessor  except  Christ. 

In  Muirchu  Maccu-Mactheni's  notes  on  the  "  Life  of  St. 
Patrick,"  a  biography  written  in  the  seventh  century,  we  have 
a  brief  reference  to  Patrick's  sermon  before  Loeghaire,  the 
king,  and  his  nobles  at  Tara.  It  is  also  stated  by  Muirchu, 
that  when  Patrick  appeared  before  this  distinguished  assem- 
bly, Dubthac,  the  chief  poet,  alone  among  the  Gentiles  arose 
in  his  honor ;  and  "  he  first  on  that  day  believed  in  God,  and 
it  was  imputed  unto  him  for  righteousness,"  or  justification. 
Here  is  a  striking  and  early  example  of  justification  by  faith 
in  Ireland. 

The  "  Wiirtzburg  Glosses,"  commenting  upon  Romans  3  :  22, 
"  Even  the  righteousness  of  God  which  is  by  faith  of  Jesus 
Christ  unto  all  and  upon  all  them  that  believe,  for  there  is  no 
difference,"  reads :  " '  Jesus  Christ ':  It  is  through  faith  in 
Jesus  Christ  every  one  becomes  righteous.'^  '^  Upon  Romans  3  : 
24,  "  Being  justified  freely  by  his  grace  through  the  redemp- 
tion that  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  the  "  Glosses  "  states:  "  *  Justified^: 
By  faith  only ;  that  is,  by  faith  of  belief  in  Jesus  Christ."  ^ 
Upon  Romans  4:5,"  But  to  him  that  worketh  not,  but 
believeth  upon  him  that  justifieth  the  ungodly,  his  laith  is 
counted  for  righteousness,"  the  above  commentary  says: 
"  *  Faith ';  He  is  to  be  justified  by  faith,"  *     The  "  Glosses," 

»  In  "  Government  Tripartite  Life  of  Patrick,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  283. 

*  "The  Holy  Scriptures  in  Ireland  One  Thousand  Years  Ago,"  p.  18. 

a  Ibid.,  p.  8.  *  Ibid.,  p.  9. 

318 


JUSTIFICATION,   LIFE,   AND  INTERCESSION.        319 

in  expounding  Romans  10  :  4,  "  Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law 
for  righteousness  to  every  one  that  believeth,"  says :  " '  For 
Righteousness':  Every  one  who  believes  in  Christ  shall  be 
righteous."  ^     His  faith  gives  him  Christ's  righteousness. 

In  the  same  chapter,  in  its  notes  upon  the  tenth  verse, 
"  For  with  the  heart  man  believeth  unto  righteousness,"  etc., 
the  "  Glosses  "  says :  " '  Believeth ' :  Belief  in  the  heart 
makes  the  man  righteous."  ^  In  the  "  Glosses,"  on  Romans 
8  :  1,  "There  is  therefore  now  no  condemnation  to 
them  who  are  in  Christ  Jesus,"  we  read :  " '  No  con- 
demnation ';  Here  or  yonder  \i.  e.,  beyond  the  grave]." 
"  *  Are  in  Christ  Jesus ' ; — Those  who  believe  in  Jesus," '  that 
is  to  say,  believers  are  justified  triumphantly  by  Christ's  right- 
eousness and  cannot  be  condemned  in  any  world.  In  the 
same  commentary  on  Philippians  3  :  9,  "  And  be  found  in 
him,  not  having  mine  own  righteousness,"  we  read ; 
" '  Righteousness ';  He  shows  here  that  it  is  the  righteous- 
ness of  Christ  that  justifies,  and  not  the  righteousness  of  the 
law."*  Justification  by  faith  was  held  with  the  strictest 
purity  by  many  Celtic  believers  in  Britain  and  Ireland  at 
this  period. 

Sedulius,  in  his  commentary  on  the  first  chapter  of  Romans, 
declares  that :  "  It  was  right  that,  as  Abraham  was  justified 
by  faith  alone,  so  the  rest  that  followed  his  faith  should  be 
saved  in  the  same  way."  ^  Fitly  do  Sedulius  and  Claudius,  in 
their  commentaries  upon  the  sixth  chapter  of  Galatians,  unite 
in  the  declaration  that  we  should  rejoice,  "  not  in  our  own 
righteousness  or  wisdom,  but  in  the  faith  of  the  cross,  by 
which  all  our  sins  are  forgiven  us."  ^'  By  the  faith  of  the 
cross  all  our  sins  are  blotted  out.  Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law 
for  righteousness  to  every  one  of  us  who  believes,  for  God 
hath  "  made  him  to  be  sin  for  us,  who  knew  no  sin,  that  we 
might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him." 

1  "  The  Holy  Scriptures  in  Ireland  One  Thousand  Years  Ago,"  p.  27. 

2  Ibid.,  p.  23.  3  Ibid.,  p.  17.  ■•  Ibid.,  p.  93. 
6  Cited  in  Ussher,  Vol.  IV.,  p.  256.           «  Ibid.,  p.  255. 


320         ANCIENT    BRITISH    AND    IRISH   CHURCHES. 

In  their  notes  upon  Paul's  words,  "  I  am  crucified  with 
Christ,  nevertheless  I  live ;  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in 
me "  (Galatians  2  :  20),  the  "  Wiirtzburg  Glosses  "  says : 
" '  Crucified ':  So  that  I  am  dead  to  the  will  of  the  flesh,  like 
Christ.  '  I  live ';  I  deny  it ;  it  is  not  I  who  live  ;  that  is,  I 
am  [only]  alive  because  Christ  is  in  me."  ^  According  to 
this  comment,  the  believer  should  be  dead  to  all  corrupt 
tastes ;  and  Christ  within  him  should  be  the  mainspring  of 
his  whole  life.  The  WTiters  of  the  same  work,  explaining  the 
words  of  the  apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  "  And  such  were  some  of 
you ;  but  ye  are  washed,  but  ye  are  sanctified,  but  ye  are 
justified  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  and  by  the  spirit  of  our 
God"  (1  Corinthians  6  :  11),  give  this  explanation:  '"Jus- 
tified \-  These  three  things  belong  to  you — purity,  and  holi- 
ness, and  righteousness,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit."  ^  In  the  "  Glosses,"  where 
the  words  are  explained,  "  I  beseech  you,  therefore,  brethren, 
by  the  mercies  of  God,  that  ye  present  your  bodies  a  living 
sacrifice,  holy,  acceptable  unto  God,  which  is  your  reasonable 
service"  (Komans  12  :  1),  it  is  written :  " '  Acceptable  to 
God ':  Pure  and  free  from  sin ;  that  is,  from  all  vices,  for 
the  soul  is  ready  to  do  the  will  of  God ;  let  the  soul  therefore 
be  stirred  up  to  do  good.  '  Holy ':  As  the  [victim]  oflfered 
under  the  law  before  the  door  of  the  temple  was  without  any 
appearance  of  blemish,  [so  be  ye]  without  any  appearance  of 
sin." ' 

Gildas,  the  Briton,  in  the  sixth  century,  writes  of  the  sins 
of  his  Christian  countrymen  with  grief  and  indignation.  He 
applies  the  words  of  Isaiah  to  them  as  found  in  some  old 
Latin  version :  Children  without  a  law,  have  ye  left  God 
and  provoked  to  anger  the  holy  One  of  Israel  ?  Why  will  ye 
still  inquire,  adding  iniquity  ?  Every  head  is  languid  and 
every  heart  is  sad  ;  from  the  sole  of  the  foot  to  the  crown, 
there  is  no  health  in  him."     "  And  thus  they  did  all  things 

1  "  The  Holy  Scriptures  in  Ireland  One  Thousand  Years  Ago,"   p.  84. 
a  Ibid.,  p.  54,  3  Ibid.,  p.  34. 


JUSTIFICATION,    LIFE,    AND    INTERCKS-ION.        ^21 

contrary  to  their  salvation,"  ^  He  denounces  the  iniquities 
of  the  Britons,  clergy  and  laity  :  he  pours  out  a  flood  of 
lamentation  over  their  backslidden  condition.  Leading 
Christians  in  the  British  and  Irish  churches,  before  their 
perversion  to  Romanism,  while  rejoicing  in  justification  by 
faith  alone,  continually  insisted  upon  holy  hearts  and  lives. 

We  know  from  personal  examination  the  truth  of  Dr. 
Whitley  Stokes'  ^  statement,  that  "  the  blessed  Virgin  Mary  is 
never  mentioned  by  Patrick,  or  Secundinus,  Muirchu  Maccu- 
Mactheni,  or  Tirechan."  And  of  all  the  Christians  in  Brit- 
ain or  Ireland,  these  men  were  the  least  likely  to  slight  Mary's 
intercessory  office,  if  she  held  that  position.  These  are  the 
earliest  Christian  writers  of  Ireland.  We  have  read  with  great 
care,  Adamnan's  "Life  ofColumba,"  written  about  the  end 
of  the  seventh  century,  treating  of  the  doctrines  and  practices 
of  that  distinguished  man,  and  there  is  no  hint  given  that  he 
knew  of  any  intercessor  except  Christ.  Not  for  several  cen- 
turies after  Patrick's  death  was  the  Saviour's  mother  made  an 
advocate  in  heaven. 

1 "  The  Works  of  Gildas,"  Sec.  21. 

2  "  GoTernment  Tripartite  Life,"  Introduction  CLXV. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE   lord's   supper,    OR   EUCHARIST. 

The  Lord's  Supper  in  "  both  kinds" — The  daughters  of  King  Loeg- 
haire  receive  bread  and  wine — Columba  and  communion  wine — 
Paschasius  Radbert's  God  in  a  loaf— John  Scotus  Erigena  against 
his  heresy — Berenger  and  the  doctrine  of  Scotus — English  Elfric 
follows  Scotus— The  "Wiirtzburg  Glosses." 

LoEGHAiRE,  king  of  Ireland  in  Patrick's  time,  had  two 
daughters  converted  through  his  instructions.  When  they 
asked  Patrick  "  to  see  Christ's  face  "  [as  they  had  previously 
seen  their  idols  ]  he  said  to  them,  "  ye  cannot  see  Christ  unless 
ye  first  taste  of  death,  or  unless  ye  receive  Christ's  body  and 
his  blood."  ^  This  incident  is  related  in  the  "Tripartite  Life," 
and  it  unquestionably  represents  the  practice  of  St.  Patrick  and 
of  the  Irish  church  for  ages.  The  body  and  the  blood  are  the 
bread  and  wine  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  which  are  spoken  of  by 
the  Saviour  as  his  body  and  blood  because  they  are  figures  of 
them;  and  here  both  were  given,  as  we  learn  from  the  narra- 
tive for  the  first  time,  to  the  daughters  of  an  Irish  king. 

It  is  related  of  Columba  that  in  his  early  years,  when  only 
a  deacon,  he  discovered  that  there  was  no  wine  for  the  Lord's 
Supper,  which  was  about  to  be  celebrated  by  the  ministers  of 
a  certain  church  ;  and  that  "  he  took  a  pitcher  and  went  to  a 
spring  and  drew  water  for  the  service  of  the  Holy  Eucharist," ' 
after  which  he  prayed  to  Christ  to  turn  this  water  into  wine, 
as  he  had  done  at  Cana  of  Galilee.  "  Entering  the  church  he 
placed  the  pitcher  with  the  liquor  in  it  near  the  altar,  and  to 
the  ministers  he  said,  *  You  have  the  wine  here  which  Christ 
the  Lord  sent  you  for  completing  his  [eucharistic]  mysteries." 
We  have  no  ground  for  crediting  the  miraculous  part  of  this 

1  "Government  Tripartite  Life  of  Patrick,"  p,  103.    London,  1887. 
•  Adamnan's  "  Vit.  Columb."  Lib.IL,  p.  1. 

322 


THE   lord's   supper,   OR   EUCHARIST.  323 

Etory,  though  its  truth  was  received  by  the  people  of  Adam- 
nan's  time  ;  but  there  is  every  reason  from  this  report  to  be- 
lieve that  Adamnan  celebrated  the  Lord's  Supper  in  "  both 
kinds,"  as  he  correctly  represents  the  Irish  Christians  to  have 
done  in  Columba's  early  manhood. 

The  Lord's  Supper  was  only  a  figurative  sacrifice  among 
the  ancient  British  and  Irish  Christians,  as  it  was  at  first 
among  all  believers.  Adauuian  describes  it  as  "  a  sacrificial 
mystery,"  ^  that  is,  a  symbol  of  Christ's  sacrifice.  He  writes 
of  it  as  "  the  services  of  the  holy  Eucharist  "  ;  ^  as  "  the  mys- 
teries of  the  sacred  Eucharist  "  ;  as  "  the  sacred  mysteries 
of  the  Eucharist."  But  no  hint  is  given  in  these  accounts  of 
the  Eucharist,  or  in  the  others  written  by  Adamnan,  that  it 
was  Christ  himself,  and  that  it  should  be  adored  as  God. 
Adamnan  speaks  in  the  same  terms  of  baptism,  \yriting  of 
the  baptism  of  an  aged  convert  he  says,  "  After  the  mysteries 
of  baptism  were  celebrated."  ^  In  all  the  descriptions  of  the 
Eucharist  quoted  there  is  no  indication  that  it  is  the  God  of 
glory,  in  every  particle  of  its  consecrated  bread  and  wine ; 
in  fact,  as  far  as  Adamnan  teaches,  if  the  bread  and  wine  are 
turned  into  Jesus  Christ,  soul,  body,  and  divinity,  by  conse- 
cration to  sacramental  uses,  the  elemert  of  water  in  baptism 
is  changed  into  the  blood  of  the  incarnate  God  which  cleanses 
from  all  sin ;  of  which  it  is  a  figure. 

Elsewhere  Adamnan  speaks  of  the  Eucharist  as  "  the  body  * 
of  Christ  "  ;  the  thought  expressed  by  the  Saviour  when  he  said 
of  the  bread,  "  This  is  my  body."  Immediately  after,  writing 
of  the  Eucharist,  he  represents  Columba  as  declaring  that 
"two  presbyters  should  break  the  Lord's  bread."*  Accord- 
ing to  Adamnan,  both  he  and  Columba  regarded  the  eucha- 
ristic  loaf  as  bread  after  consecration,  the  Lord's  bread,  or 
the  figure  of  the  Lord's  body.  Just  as  Paul,  describing  both 
elements  of  the  Eucharist,  after  consecration,  says,  "For  as 

1  Adaranani  "  Vit.  Columb."  Lib.  II.,  p.  1. 
a  Ibid.,  Lib..  III.  p.  21, 

3  Ibid.,  Lib.  I.,  p.  19. 

4  Ibid.,  Lib.  I.,  p.  26. 


324         ANCIENT   BRITISH   AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

ofteu  as  ye  eat  this  bread  and  drink  this  cup,  ye  do  show 
the  Lord's  death  till  he  come." 

If  Columba,  of  whom  Adamnan  wrote,  even  according  to 
his  account  of  the  heaven-honored  missionary,  had  seen  in 
prophetic  vision  the  decree  of  the  future  council  of  Trent : 
"  If  any  one  shall  deny  that  in  the  sacrament  of  the  most  holy 
Eucharist  there  is  contained,  really,  truly,  and  substantially, 
the  body  and  blood,  together  with  the  soul  and  divinity  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  so  whole  Christ ;  but  shall  say 
that  he  is  only  in  it  in  sign,  or  figure,  or  power,  let  him  be 
accursed,"  ^  he  would  have  been  greatly  shocked,  and  would 
have  regarded  the  framers  of  this  decree,  either  as  a  synod  of 
candidates  for  the  restraints  of  the  insane,  or  as  a  body  of  or- 
dained deceivers,  imposing  upon  the  credulity  of  the  Christian 
world. 

John  Scotus  Erigena,  in  the  ninth  century,  honored  Ireland 
and  common  sense  by  his  denunciations  of  transubstantiation. 
Michelet  writes : 

Paschasius  Radbert  in  the  ninth  century  [a.d.,  831]  first  explicitly- 
taught  the  marvelous  poetry  of  a  God  in  a  loaf  ...  of  infinity  in  an 
atom  [in  the  Romish  wafer].  Vainly  did  the  Irish  church  protest  in 
the  name  of  logic  [against  a  God  in  a  loaf]  ;  it  did  not  hinder  the 
doctrine  from  pursuing  its  triumphant  progress  through  the  middle 
ages. 2 

Michelet  is  right  in  making  the  Irish  church  protest  against 
Radbert's  novel  absurdity,  thouojh  John  Scotus  Erigena  was 
the  chief  representative  of  that  church  in  this  controversy. 
One  of  his  names,  Scotus,  was  generally  applied  at  this  period 
io  natives  of  Ireland  ;  the  other,  Erigena,  was  used  to  make  it 
certain  that  he  was  an  Irish  Scot.  Hampden,^  in  his  "  Bamp- 
ton  Lectures,"  an  accomplished  judge,  properly  describes  him 
as: 

One  of  the  most  remarkable  persons  in  the  history  of  the  middle 
ages.     He  was  quite  the  meteor  of  the   ninth  century;  as  no  one  of 

^  "  Canones  et  Decreta  Cone.  Trid.,"  Can.  I.,  Sess.  XIII.,  p.  63.     Lipsise,  1863. 

2"  History  of  France,"  pp.  135,  136.    New  York. 

3  '•  On  the  Scholastic  Philosophy,"  pp.  35.  415,  Note  1. 


THE   lord's   supper,   OR   EUCHARIST.  325 

his  contemporaries  appears  to  have  approached  him  in  the  depth  of 
his  learning,  or  the  acuteness  of  his  philosophy.  His  great  learning, 
particularly  his  knowledge  of  languages,  the  Greek,  the  Hebrew,  and 
the  Arabic,  appears  to  have  been  acquired  by  travels. 

When  Paschasius  Radbert  published  his  treatise  "On 
the  Sacrament  of  the  Body  and  Blood  of  Christ,"  maintaining 
that  the  body  of  Christ  in  the  Eucharist  is  "  the  same  body 
that  was  born  of  the  virgin,  that  suffered  on  the  cross,  and 
that  was  raised  from  the  dead,"  the  emperor  Charles,  the  Ball 
objected  strenuously  to  this  innovation,  and,  as  Waddington 
says '  employed  Ratramu  and  John  Scotus  to  investigate  the 
suspicious  opinion  ;  the  arguments  of  Scotus,  according  to 
Waddino-ton,  are  more  direct,  and  his  sentiments  more  per- 
spicuous'and  consistent  than  Ratramn's  :  "  he  plainly  declared 
that  the  bread  and  wine  were  no  more  than  the  symbols  of 
the  absent  body  and  blood  of  Christ." 

At  a  great  council  held  at  "  Vercelli,  a.  d.  1050,  composed 
of  bishops  from  different  countries,  especially  France  and 
Germany,  and  most  of  the  learned  men  in  the  West,  in 
which  the  pope  presided  in  person,  the  book  of  John  Scotus 
was  read  and  condemned ;  and  the  doctrine  of  Berenger,  the 
same  with  that  of  Scotus,  was  condemned  by  the  council." ' 
A  month  later  than  the  imposing  council  of  Vercelli  with 
the  pope  at  its  head.  King  Henry  I.,  "as  the  dispute  had 
made  a  great  stir  in  France,  summoned  all  the  bishops  and 
learned  men  of  his  kingdom,  to  meet  in  October,  a.  d.  1050, 
in  Paris,  to  examine  it  and  Berenger."  At  this  council,  in 
the  absence  of  Berenger,  an  intercepted  letter,  written  by 
him,  wa«  read,  condemning  the  opinion  of  Paschasius,  and 
"extolling  that  of  Scotus,  as  entirely  agreeable  to  the  belief 
of  the  church  in  primitive  times,  and  the  doctrine  of  the 
fathers  "  The  sentiment  of  this  letter  was  unanimously  "  pro- 
nounced heretical"  ;  "the  book  of  Scotus,  whom  they  styled 

1  -  History  of  the  Church,"  pp.  257,  258.    London. 

a  Bower's  "  History  of  the  Popes,"  Vol.  XL,  pp.  349.  350. 


326         ANCIENT   BRITISH    AND   IRISH   CHURCHES. 

the  author  of  the  new  heresy,  was  condemned  "  ;  and  it  was 
decreed  that  Berenger  and  his  followers  should  be  seized  and 
put  to  death  wherever  found,  "  if  they  did  not  publicly  re- 
tract their  impious  doctrine." 

Berenger,  through  Ricardus,  an  abbot  and  a  great  favorite 
of  the  king,  in  a  letter,  wished  him  to  inform  his  majesty  that 
Scotus  wrote  his  book  at  the  request  of  Charles  the  Bald  to 
refute  many  gross  errors  about  the  Eucharist,  originated  chiefly 
by  Paschasius ;  and  that  so  deserving  a  man  should  be  pro- 
tected after  his  death,  by  the  successors  of  the  sovereign  by 
whose  command  he  had  written  such  a  useful  work/  Beren- 
ger's  revival  of  the  scriptural  teachings  of  John  Scotus  was 
eventually  destroyed  by  the  fierce  opposition  of  the  Romish 
clergy,  from  the  pope  to  the  most  ignorant  priest.  But  the 
genius  of  this  distinguished  Irishman,  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty  years  after  his  death,  shone  forth  in  his  little  work  on 
the  Eucharist,  and  nearly  set  western  Europe  on  fire.  The 
doctrine  of  John  Scotus,  that  the  Eucharist  was  a  remem- 
brancer of  the  Saviour's  body  and  blood,  and  not  his  real  flesh 
and  blood,  was  the  belief  of  the  English  church  at  one  pe- 
riod. Elfric,  says  Soames,^  seems  to  have  died  only  fifteen- 
years  before  the  Conquest,  that  is,  in  A.  d.  1051.  Soames 
writes  further :  "  Elfric  merely  finished,  but  with  a  vigor 
equalled  probably  by  Erigena  [Scotus]  alone,  that  unyielding 
array  of  testimony  against  Lanfranc's  eucharistic  system, 
which  echoes  from  the  whole  theological  school  of  ancient 
England."  That "  eucharistic  system  "  was  transubstantiation. 
Elfric  writes  of  the  Eucharist  in  his  *'  Second  Epistle  "  : 

The  lively  bread  is  not,  however,  bodily,  the  same  body  Christ 
suffered  in,  nor  is  the  holy  wine  the  Saviour's  blood  that  for  us  was 
shed,  in  corporeal  reality.  But  in  spiritual  meaning,  both  the  bread 
is  truly  his  body  and  the  wine  also  is  his  blood;  even  as  the  heavenly 
bread  which  we  call  manna,  which  forty  years  fed  Gods  folk  [was 
truly  his  bodyl ,  and  the  clear  water  that  ran  from  the  rock  in  the 
wilderness  was  truly  his  blood.     Paul  accordingly  wrote:    "All  our 

1  Bower's  "  History  of  Ihe  Popes,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  350. 
a  "  The  Anglo-Saxon  Church,"  pp.  195, 196. 


THE    lord's   supper,    OR   EUCHARIST.  327 

fathers  ate  in  the  wilderness  the  same  spiritual  meat,  and  drank  the 
spiritual  drink.  They  drank  of  the  spiritual  rock,  and  that  rock  was 
Christ."  The  apostle  said,  even  as  ye  now  heard,  that  they  all  ate  the 
same  spiritual  meat,  and  they  all  drank  the  spiritual  drink.  He  does 
not,  however,  say  bodily,  but  spiritually.  Then  Christ  was  not  as  yet 
born,  nor  was  his  bloodshed,  when  the  people  of  Israel  ate  the  meat 
and  drank  of  the  rock  ;  and  the  rock  was  not  Christ  bodily,  though 
he  said  so ;  those  were  merely  the  sacraments  under  the  old  law,  and 
they  spiritually  betoken  the  spiritual  Eucharist  of  the  Saviours  body 
which  we  hallow.^ 

Elfric's  lay  sermons  were  read  with  difficulty  in  England, 
and  were  seldom  heard  in  her  churches.  To  remedy  this  de- 
fect, he  prepared  two  series  of  homilies,  of  forty  each,  the  one 
folio  ,ing  upon  the  success  of  the  other  ;  both  works  were  ap- 
proved and  their  use  authorized  by  Sigeric,  archbishop  of 
Canterbury.^  His  homily,  which  was  read  in  the  churches 
of  England  on  Easter  day ;  his  Epistle  to  Wulfsine,  bishop 
of  Sherborne,  and  his  Epistle  to  Wulfstan,  archbishop  of 
York,  show  conclusively  that  transubstantiation  was  not  re- 
ceived in  England  in  Elfric's  time.^ 

Soames  states  that  "  Elfric  embodied,  for  the  use  of  ordinary 
.congregations,  the  substance  of  the  famous  attack  upon 
transubstantiation  which  Ratramn*  wrote,  when  desired  to 
examine  it  by  Charles  the  Bald."  There  is  no  doubt  that 
Elfric's  attention  was  called  to  transubstantiation  by  the  book 
of  Paschasius  Radbert ;  and  that  he  regarded  it  as  a  work 
full  of  danger  to  the  gospel  of  Christ  in  England.  It  is 
equally  certain  that  he  used  the  arguments  against  it  so  for- 
cibly employed  by  John  Scotus  Erigena.  In  the  Berenger 
controversy  in  France  on  the  same  subject,  and  partly  in 
Elfric's  day,  there  was  not  a  word  about  Ratramn  or  Ber- 
tram. At  the  great  council  of  Vercelli,  and  at  the  French 
convocation  called  by  the  king  soon  after,  Scotus  and  his  book 

1  Cited  in  Soames'  "  Anglo-Saxon  Church,"  pp.  272,  273.   London,  1856. 

2  Soames'  "  Anglo-Saxon  Church,"  p.  187.  London. 

8  See  Bower's  '^  History  of  the  Popes,"  Vol.  II.,  p.  350,  and  Soames'  "  Anglo-Saxon 
Church,"  p.  188. 
4  Ibid,  p.  195. 


328         ANCIENT   BRITISH    AND    IRISH    CHURCHES. 

were  soundly  denounced,  but  not  a  word  against  Ratramn  or 
Bertram.  It  was  the  same  work  which  armed  Elfric.  Bower, 
a  historian  of  extraordinary  learning,  states  that  Scotus,  in 
his  treatise  "  On  the  Body  and  Blood  of  our  Lord,"  declared 
that: 

The  faithful  received  the  body  of  our  Lord  figuratively,  mystically, 
sacrainentally,  spiritually,  and  not  really  or  corporeally;  that  he 
published  that  work  under  the  feigned  name  of  Bertram,  which 
induced  Sigebert  and  Trithemius  to  ascribe  it  to  Ratramn,  who 
wrote  by  the  order  of  Charles  the  Bald,  two  books  upon  predestina- 
tion. In  the  disputes  that  arose  in  after  days  about  the  Eucharist, 
this  treatise  is  constantly  quoted  as  the  work,  not  of  Bertram  or  Ra- 
traTnn,  but  of  Scotus,  and  no  mention  is  ever  made  of  any  writer  upon 
that  subject  under  either  of  those  names."  ^ 

Bower's  opinion  that  the  work  of  Scotus  was  published 
anonymously  under  the  name  of  Bertram  was  held  by  dis- 
tinguished men  2  of  competent  learning.  The  arguments 
sustaining  his  view  are  conclusive :  Bertram  was  Scotus.  Ra- 
tramn wrote  upon  predestination,  but  published  nothing  in 
reply  to  Paschasius  Radbert. 

John  Scotus  Erigena  protected  the  people  of  England, 
through  the  able  and  pious  Elfric,  from  the  idolatry  of  tran- 
substantiation  for  many  years.  In  Germany,  France,  Eng- 
land, and  in  his  native  Ireland,  he  was  the  greatest  enemy  of 
the  Romish  mass  before  the  Reformation,  and  furnished  the 
leaders  of  that  glorious  movement  with  some  of  their  most 
powerful  weapons  against  papal  idolatry.  John  Scotus 
Erigena,  a  graduate  of  the  monastic  college  of  Bangor  near 
Belfast,  honored  before  all  Europe  the  learning  of  Ireland, 
and  the  scriptural  doctrine  of  the  Lord's  Supper  as  taught  by 
Baptist  St.  Patrick,  in  a  controversy  in  which  he  successfully 
defied  the  greatest  men  in  the  Old  World  and  the  warring 
forces  of  centuries. 

The  "  Wiirtzburg  Glosses,"  expounding  the  apostle's  words, 
"  In  whom  we  have  redemption  through  his  blood,"  says : 

1  Bower's  "  H'story  of  the  Popes,"  Vol.  11.,  p.  348. 
Du  Pin's  "  Eccles.  Hist.,"  Vol.  II.,  pp.  81-2.    Dublin. 


OR   EUCHARIST.  329 

^'Through  his  blood,  through  the  material  blood  which  poured 
from  his  side  when  he  was  on  the  cross,  and  through  the 
spiritual  blood  which  is  offered  every  day  upon  the  altar."* 
This  learned  commentary  in  the  ancient  language  of  Hibernia 
is  emphatic  in  its  renunciation  of  transubstantiation  and  in 
that  the  asserting  wine  in  the  Eucharist  is  only  spiritual  or 
figurative  blood.  This  conclusion  about  the  Lord's  Supper 
was  the  general  opinion  in  Ireland  at  that  time. 

Sedulius,  the  Scot,  who  wrote  his  commentary  during  the 
period  that  produced  the  "  Wiirtzburg  Glosses,"  expounding 
the  words,  "  This  do  in  remembrance  of  me "  (1  Corinth- 
ians 11  :  24),  speaking  of  the  Eucharist  says:  "He  left  a 
rememhrancer  of  himself  to  us,  even  as  if  one  setting  out  for  a 
distant  country  should  leave  some  token  with  him  whom  he 
loved,  that  as  often  as  he  should  see  it,  memory  might  recall 
his  favors  and  friendship."  "^  Sedulius  clearly  declares  that 
the  Saviour  is  absent  in  the  flesh  in  the  Lord's  Supper ;  and 
that  it  is  observed  in  memory  of  the  great  sufferer  of  Calvary, 
who  is  alive  in  a  glorified  body  in  the  heavens. 

Claudius,  another  Irish  commentator  of  the  age  of  Sedulius 
writes  :  "  It  pleased  the  Saviour  first  to  deliver  to  his  disciples 
the  sacrament  of  his  body  and  blood ;  .  .  .  and  afterward 
the  body  itself  to  be  sacrificed  upon  the  altar  of  the  cross." ' 
Claudius  distinctly  asserts  that  the  sacramental  body  of  Christ 
is  not  the  "  body  itself"  which  was  sacrificed  upon  the  cross; 
it  could,  therefore,  only  be  a  figurative  body. 

1  Published  as  the  "  Holy  Scriptures  in  Ireland  One  Thousand  Years  Ago,"  p.  87. 
Dublin. 
«  Ussher's  "  Works,"  Vol.  IV..  p.  284. 
8  Ibid 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE   DOCTRINE   OF   PURGATORY. 

Immediately  after  death  the  ancient  British  and  Irish   Christians  en. 
tered  Heaven  ;  this  their  belief— They  knew  nothing  of  Purgatory. 

St.  Patrick,  in  his  "  Letter  to  Corotieus,"  speaking  of  his 
converts  whom  that  pirate  slew,  says,  "  Thanks  be  to  God,  bap- 
tized believers,  ye  have  passed  from  this  world  to  paradise ;  I 
see  you  have  begun  to  migrate  where  there  shall  he  no  more 
night,  nor  grief,  nor  death.  .  .  Ye  therefore  shall  reign  with 
the  apostles,  and  prophets,  and  martyrs,  and  obtain  the  eternal 
kingdom."  There  is  no  purgatory  then,  according  to  the  great 
Patrick.  Speaking  of  the  death  of  St.  Brendan,  Columba 
said,  "  Last  night  I  saw  heaven  suddenly  opened ;  and  choirs 
of  angels  descended  to  meet  the  soul  of  St.  Brendan,^  by  whose 
luminous  and  incomparable  glory  the  whole  globe  was  made 
bright." 

Speaking  about  a  view  which  Columba  had  of  a  battle  in 
the  heavens,  he  states,  "  I  saw '  the  holy  angels  fighting  in  the 
air  with  hostile  powers,  and  I  gave  thanks  to  Christ,  the  mas- 
ter of  conflicts,  because  -the  angel  conquerors  had  carried  to 
the  joys  of  the  celestial  country  the  soul  of  this  stranger,  who  was 
the  first  of  our  number  to  die  in  this  island." 

Adamnan,  writing  about  a  certain  blacksmith  who  lived  in 
the  central  part  of  Ireland,  who  was  much  given  to  works  of 
charity,  and  whose  life  was  full  of  other  deeds  of  righteous- 
ness, states  that  when  he  came  to  the  end  of  a  good  old  age, 
on  the  same  hour  on  which  he  left  the  body : 

Columba,  residing  in  lona,  spoke  thus  to  the  few  seniors  standing 
around  him  :  "  Columbus,  the  blacksmith,  did  not  toil  in  vain  ;  he  was 

»  Adamnini,  "  Vit.  Colum.,"  Lib,  III.,  cap.  15. 
« Ibid.,  cap.  6. 


TPIE    DOCTRINE   OF   PURGATORY.  331 

glad  to  purchase  eternal  rewards  [not  heaven  or  salvation]  by  the 
labor  of  his  own  hands.  Behold,  now  his  soul  is  being  carried  by 
angels  to  the  joys  of  the  celestial  country .^^  ^ 

Columba  himself  went  to  no  purgatory  after  death,  as  his 
biographer  relates  :  "  He  was  united  to  apostle  and  prophets 
and  to  the  thousands  clothed  in  white  who  have  washed  their 
robes  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  follow  him  wheresoever 
he  goeth" '  In  these  testimonies  we  learn  that  no  place  of 
purification  by  pains  or  otherwise,  after  death,  had  any  exist- 
ence in  the  theology  of  St.  Patrick,  Columba,  Adamnan,  or 
of  the  men  of  their  times. 

After  describing  the  horrid  butcheries,  burnings,  and  dese- 
crations of  their  churches  and  of  their  dead,  inflicted  by  the 
pagan  Anglo-Saxons  upon  the  Christian  Britons,  Gildas,  who 
wrote  in  the  sixth  century,  speaks  of  the  truly  faithful  who 
perished  in  these  slaughters,  surrounded  by  their  backslidden 
countrymen,  as  "  being  carried  at  that  time  into  high  heaven 
by  the  holy  angels,''  ^ 

The  soul  of  the  celebrated  St.  Hilda,  of  St.  Aidan's  Protest- 
ant Scottish  church  in  Yorkshire,  England,  in  the  seventh 
century,  according  to  Roger  of  Wendover,  "  was  seen  carried 
to  heaven  by  angels,  where  with  Christ  she  is  solaced  with 
eternal  joys''  ^^ 

William  of  Malmesbury  relates  that  the  pious  King  Os- 
wald, who  brought  St.  Aidan  from  Caledonia  in  A.  d.  635, 
and  interpreted  his  sermons  when  he  preached,  "  on  the  day 
that  he  was  murdered  in  a  moment  ascended  to  the  heavenly 
tribunal."  ^ 

Nennius  gives  some  account  of  the  evangelizing  efforts  of 
Germanus  in  Britain,  when  he  came  from  Gaul  at  the  request 
of  the  Britons  to  oppose  and  destroy  Pelagianism,  in  the  first 
half  of  the  fifth  century.     On  a  certain  day,  Germanus  and 

1  Adamnani,  "  Vit.  Colum.,"  Lib.  III.,  p.  13. 

2  Ibid.,  cap.  34. 

8  "  Works  of  Gildas,"  Sec.  24. 

4  '«  Flowers  of  History"  at  a.  d  680. 

6  "  Chronicle,"  Lib.  II.,  cap.  13. 


332         ANCIENT   BRITISH    AND    IRISH    CHURCHES. 

his  friends  came  to  the  gate  of  a  British  city  to  see  and  remon- 
strate with  its  wicked  king.  While  engaged  in  fervent  prayer 
for  the  success  of  their  efforts  in  this  city — 

A  man  covered  with  perspiration  came  out  and  prostrated  himself 
before  them.  St.  Germanus,  addressing  him  said:  "Dost  thou  be- 
lieve in  the  Holy  Trinity  ?"  To  which  the  man  having  replied,  "  I  do 
believe,"  he  baptized  and  kissed  him,  saying,  "Go  in  peace;  within 
this  hour  thou  shalt  die ;  the  angels  of  God  are  waiting  for  thee  in  the 
air ;  with  them  thou  shalt  ascend  to  that  Ood  in  whom  thou  hast  be- 
lieved J  ^  ^ 

He  was  put  to  death  as  Germanus  foretold,  and  entered  im- 
mediately into  heaven. 

Geoffrey  of  Monmouth,  writing  of  the  Diocletian  persecu- 
tion, says  : 

All  the  churches  were  pulled  down,  and  all  the  copies  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures  that  could  be  found  were  burned  in  the  public  markets. 
The  priests  also,  with  the  believers  under  their  care,  were  put  to  death, 
and  with  emulation  pressed  in  crowds  together  for  a  speedy  passage 
to  the  joys  of  heaven^  as  their  proper  dwelling  place.'^ 

Gallus,  the  successful  Irish  missionary  in  Switzerland,  said 
of  Columbanus,  his  countryman,  who  died  in  a.  d.  615,  to 
Magnus,  his  deacon  :  "  After  this  night's  watch,  I  understood 
by  a  vision  that  my  master  and  father,  Columbanus,  is  to-day 
departed  out  of  the  miseries  of  this  life  into  the  joys  of  para- 
diseJ'  ^  These  statements  might  be  increased  very  largely, 
but  it  is  needless ;  they  represent  the  ancient  Britons,  the 
Picts,  and  the  Irish  :  and  they  show  conclusively  the  belief  that 
heaven  was  the  immediate  home  after  death  of  all  the  early 
Christians  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland.  There  is  no  founda- 
tion in  their  genuine  writings,  as  there  is  none  in  the  Bible, 
for  the  following  decree  of  the  council  of  Trent : 

Since  the  Catholic  Church,  instructed  by  the  Holy  Spirit  from  the 
sacred  Scriptures  and  the  ancient  tradition  of  the  fathers,  has  taught 
in  holy  councils,  and  very  recently  in  this  general  synod,  that  there 
is  a  purgatory,  and  that  the  souls  confined  therein  receive  assistance 

1  Nennius'  "  History  of  the  Britons,"  Lib.  II.,  sec.  32,  33. 

2  "  British  History,"  Lib.  V.,cap.  5. 

»  Cited  in  Ussher's  "  Works,"  Vol.  IV.,  p.  270. 


THE   DOCTRINE   OF   PURGATORY.  333 

from  the  suffrages  of  the  faithful,  but  chiefly  from  the  acceptable  sac- 
rifice of  the  altar,  the  holy  synod  commands  the  bishops  that  the 
sound  doctrine  about  purgatory,  handed  down  by  the  holy  fathers  and 
sacred  councils,  be  believed,  held,  taught,  and  everywhere  proclaimed 
by  the  faithful  in  Christ.  .  .'^ 

For  centuries  after  the  conversion  of  Britain  and  Ireland 
this  fiction  was  wholly  unknown  by  the  people  of  both 
islands. 

After  a  conscientious  and  extensive  examination  of  relia- 
ble writings,  we  affirm  with  confidence  that  for  many  hun- 
dreds of  years  the  Ancient  British  and  Irish  Churches  were 
strictly  Protestant,  that  St.  Patrick  had  no  taint  of  Romanism, 
and  though  he  held  some  things  which  we  reject,  he  cher- 
ished all  the  leading  principles  of  the  Baptist  denomination ; 
that  Columba  and  many  others  followed  his  example ;  and 
that  the  ancient  Britons,  his  countrymen,  taught  him  his 
Baptist  principles. 

A  literary  friend,  writing  of  the  leading  persons  in  this 
book,  says :  "  We  have  found  how  evangelical  they  were  in 
their  beliefs,  and  how  consecrated  they  were  in  their  deeds. 
The  missionary  efforts  put  forth  have  aroused  our  admiration, 
and  the  sufferings  encountered  at  the  hands  of  bigotry  and  hate 
have  called  out  our  sympathy.  We  have  seen  how  little  these 
people,  whose  life  and  work  we  have  viewed,  had  in  common 
with  the  ecclesiastical  tyranny  that  at  first  ignored,  but  since 
has  claimed  them,  and  that  Patrick  himself,  the  noblest  hero 
of  them  all,  has  come  forth  from  the  mists  substantially 
a  Baptist.  This  review  of  history  so  little  known,  will  lead 
us  to  value  yet  more  our  own  heritage,  while  it  should  make 
us  still  more  guarded  against  the  colossal  power  of  Rome, 
whose  acts  in  the  name  of  religion  have  in  many  ways  been 
so  baleful." 

1  "  Canones  et  Decreta  Cone.  Trid.,"  Sess.  XXV.,  Deer.  Purgator.,  p.  173.    Lipsia, 

1863. 


INDEX  OF  AUTHORS  QUOTED. 


The  numbers  indicate  the  pages  in  this  book. 


Adamnan l^^' 

182, 183, 185, 191, 192, 194, 196,  198, 
200, 203, 206, 207,  208,  209,  211, 212, 
213,214,322,323,330,331. 

Ailred 1^^' 

173,  174. 

Alexander,  Dr.  William  Lindsay 62, 

175, 184,  198,  261. 

Anderson 248. 

Baronius ^^J- 

Bayle 273. 

Bede 1-' 

13, 16, 19, 20, 30, 44, 45, 46, 48, 64, 56, 
67,  73,  85,  86,  98,  115, 166,  169, 171, 
174,  186, 191, 192, 195, 199, 201,  219, 
221, 224,  225,  226,  227,  2J9,  232,  240, 
247,  250,  251,  254,  255,  259,  260, 261, 
263,  266,  283,  294,  295, 308. 

Bernard  of  Clairvaux 80, 

275,  282,  287. 

Bingham '*^' 

245,  255,  256, 263, 264, 281, 289,  290, 
291. 

Blackburn l'''^- 

Bower 22, 

94,  96,  260,  271,  273,  325,  326,  327, 


Butler. 


55, 


179. 


Chalmers,  George l'^^. 

Collier ^^- 

87,  43,  46,  175,  272,  278,  282,  289, 


Constantine ^^• 

Curzon 1^^' 

DoUinger 280. 

Du  Pin ^^' 

51,  57,  91,  92,  97, 160,  164, 267, 295, 
296,  304,  328. 

Eusebius ^^ 

23,28,29,31,111. 


PAGE 

Fox n, 

31,90,265. 

Geoffrey  of  Monmouth 332. 

Gibbon 3'^» 

41,  52,  53,  55,  68. 

Gildas 20, 

25,  30,  32,  52,  54,  285,  321,  331. 

Giraldus  Cambrensis 57, 

65,  73,  80,119,  258,  272,  278,  299. 

Gregory,  of  Tours, 21, 

304. 

Gregory  (the  Great) 83. 

Hampden 224. 

Jamieson 1^8. 

Jerome ^8, 

61,  157. 

Jonas 296. 

Keating 109- 

Lanigan 74. 

Lightfoot 42. 

Lingard 218, 

219,  222,  233,  267,  272,  309,  310. 

Macaulay 189. 

M'Lauchlan 49, 

90,  122,  162, 171,  177,  178,  193,  197, 
216,  284,  293. 

Matthew  Paris 194 

Matthew  of  Westminster 120, 

227. 

Michelet 22, 

51,276,286,307,311,324. 

Milraan 39, 

281. 

Mosheim 1^» 

22,121,310. 

Neander ^^' 

21,  42,  50, 65, 121, 162, 206, 269,  286, 
305,  307,  310,  313,  317,  319. 

Neal 248. 

282. 


Nennius. 


286,  332. 


335 


3-36 


INDEX   OF   AUTHORS   QUOTED. 


PAGE 

Nicholson 73, 

125,  140. 

Origen 27. 

Pelagius 43. 

Perceval « 91, 

92. 
Rapin 52, 

53,  120,  241,  278,  279. 
Reeves 66, 

182. 
Richard  of  Cirencester 41, 

63,  71. 
Roger  of  Wendover 120, 

306,  331. 

Sale 100. 

Smith 163, 

185,  197,  198,  204,  206,   214,  215, 

280. 
Soames 232, 

236,  240,  241,  251,  326,  327. 

Socrates 158. 

Sozomen 39. 

Bpotswood 169, 

174,  177,  178,  201,  284. 
Bpelman  256, 

267,  277. 
Stanley,  Arthur  Penrhyn, 12, 

28. 


PAGE 

Stillingfleet 17, 

34,  40,  42,  55. 
St.  Patrick 123, 

127-150, 

Stokes,  Dr.  Whitley 146. 

Stokes,  Prof.  Geo.  T 108, 

110,  122, 125, 163, 165, 187, 192,  282, 

288,  294,  2'J5,  300,  306,  309. 
Tacitus 13, 

14,  25 

Tertulliau 169. 

Thackeray 15, 

Theodoret 28. 

Todd 81, 

283. 
Ussher 46, 

55,  64,  S3,  88, 118, 119, 121, 160, 161, 

178, 179, 183, 228,  229,  233,  236,  237, 

261,266,273,293,297,306,309,311, 

312,  316,  329,  332. 

Vergil,  Polydore 57. 

William,  of  Malmesbury 56, 

86,  90,  120,  223,  227,  329,  331. 

Withrow 104. 

Waddington 325. 


INDEX  OF  WORKS  REFERRED  TO  OR  QUOTED. 


The  numbers  indicate  the  pages  in  this  book. 


PAGE 

Acts  and  Monuments  of  the  Church. 

(Fox)  17, 

31,  90,  265. 

Adv.  Judgeos  (Tertullian) 23. 

Annales  (Tacitus) 13, 

14,  25. 
Annals  of  the  Kingdom  of  Ireland..    69, 

72,"l03,  118,  187,  196,  249,  287,  302. 

Annales  Ecclesiastici  (Baroniiis) 251 

Antiquities  of  the  Christian  Church 

(Bingham) 41, 

245,  255,  289,  290,  292. 
Antiquities  of   Down  and   'Jonnor 

(Reeves) 66. 

Antiquities    of    the    Anglo-Saxon 

Church  (Lingard) 218, 

219,  221,  234,  263,  2G4,  267,  272, 

309,  310. 
British  History,  Geoflfrey  of  Mon- 
mouth    3.32. 

Canoues  et  Decreta  Cone.  Trid 3-!4, 

333. 
Chronicle  (William  of  Malmesbury)    56, 

86,  90.  120,  223,  227,  309,  331, 
Concil.  Britan.  (Spelman)  256, 

267,  277. 
Decline  and  Fall  of  the  Roman  Em- 
pire (Gibbon) 33, 

41,  52,  53,  68. 
Definitions  of  Faith  and  Canons  of 

Discipline -  158, 

160. 

DeMartyrol.  Pal.  (Eusebius) 29. 

De  Vita  Martini 38. 

De  Vita  St.  Columbte  (Adamnani) 167, 

182,  183,  185,  191, 192, 194, 196, 198, 

200,  201,  203,  206-214,  284,  322, 323, 

330,  331. 


PAGE 

Dictionary  (Bayle) 273 

Eccles.  Hist.  (Bede)...     12, 

13,  19,  30,  44,  45,  46,  48,  54,  56,  67, 
73,  85,  86,  98, 115, 166, 169, 171, 174, 
186,  191,  192,  195, 191),  201,219,  221, 
224,  225,  226,  227, 229, 232,  240, 247, 
250,  251,  254,  255.  259,  260,  2G1,  2i-.3, 
263,  283,  294,  295,  308. 

Eccles.  Hist.  (Collier) 34, 

37,  43,  46,  55, 175,  272,  278,  282, 289, 
293. 

Eccle-s.  Hist.  (Du  Pin) 37, 

51,91,94,97,  161,  104,267,295,296, 
304,  328. 

!  Eccles.  Hist    (Eusebius) 16, 

i  20,23,29,31. 

I  F:ccles.  Hist.  (Socrates) 16, 

158. 

Eccles  Hist.  (Mosheira) 18, 

22,  121,310. 

Eccle-s.  Hist.  (Theodoret) 28. 

Eccles.  Hist.  (Sozomen) 40. 

Eccles  Hist,  of  Ireland  (Lanigan)....    74. 

Ep.  Demetrias  (Pelagius) 43. 

Evangel.  Demonst.  (Eusebius) 28. 

Flowers  of  History  (Roger  of  Wend- 
over) 120. 

306,  331. 

Flowers    of    History    (Matthew  of 

Westminster) 227. 

General   History  of  the  Christian 

Church  (Neander) 17. 

21,  42,  50.65,  121,  162,  206,  269. 
28(5,  305,  307,  310,  313,  317, 

General  History  of  Ireland  (Keat- 
ing)   109. 

General  History  (Anderson) 248. 

Gerniani  Antisis  Vit 49. 

337 


338 


INDEX    OF   WORKS    REFERRED   TO. 


PAGE 

Governmeut    Tripartite    Life    (of 

Patrick) 42, 

49,  61,  70,  71,  74,  76,  77,  78,  79,  80, 
83,  88,  99,  103,  105,  107,  lOS,  111, 
115,  118,  119. 125,  15o,  154, 155, 156, 
IGO,  1G2,  2.SG,  287,  315,  31S,321,  322, 

History  of  Christianity  (Milman)....     16, 
39,  281. 

Hist.  Franc.  (Gregory  of  Tours) 21. 

History  of  France  (Michelet) 22, 

51,  276,  286,  307,  308,  311,  324. 

History  of  the  Popes  (Buwer) 22, 

94,  96,  260,  271,  273,  325,  326,  327, 
328. 

History  of  England  (Pvapin) 52, 

53,120,236,241,278,279. 

History  of  the  Britons  (Nennius) 282, 

302. 

History  of  England  Polydore  Vergie.  57. 

History  of  the  Church  and  State  of 

Scotland  (Spotswood) 169, 

174,  177, 178. 

History    of    Caledonia   (Chalmers, 

Geo.) 175. 

History  of  England  (Macaulay) 189. 

History  of  the  Culdees  (Jamieson)...  198. 

History  of  the  Puritans  (Neal) 248. 

History  of  the  Church  (Wadding- 
ton) 325. 

Historical   Memorials    of    Canter- 
bury (Stanley) 12, 

28. 

Historical  Works    (Giraldus   Cam- 

brensis) 57, 

73,  258,  278. 

Homilies  (Origen) 27. 

lona  (Alexander) 182, 

184,  198. 

Ireland    and    the    Celtic    Church 

(Stokes,  Geo.  T.) 64, 

66,  108,  110,  122,  125,  163,  165,  187, 
192,  282,  288,  294,  295,  300,  306, 
309. 

Life  of  St.  Patrick  (Nicholson) 73, 

125. 

Life  of  Germanus  (Constantiue) 85. 

Life  of  St.  Columba  (Smith). 163, 

185,  197, 198,  204, 206,  214,  215,  280. 
Life  of  Ninian  (Ailred) 171, 

173,  174. 
Life  of  Kentigern 178. 


15 


41. 


82. 


I  PAGE 

Life  of  Columbanus  (Jonas) 296. 

1  Lives  of  the  Saints  (Butler) 55, 

I  179. 

j  Omnium  Operum  (Jerome) 38. 

On  Galatians  (Lightfoot) 42. 

On  the  Scholastic  Philosophy  (Hamp- 
I  den) 324. 

Researches  into  the  Ecclesiastical 
and  Political  State  of  An- 
cient Britain  (Thackeray)... 

Six  Old  English  Chronicles  (Richard 

of  Cirencester) 

63,  71. 

St.  Patrick  the  Apostle  of  Ireland 

(Todd) 

283. 

St.  Patrick  and  the  Early  Church  of 

Ireland 156. 

The  Ancient  British  Church  (Alex- 
ander, W.  L.) 62, 

175,  261. 

The  Anglo-Saxon  Church  (Soames)  232, 
236,  240,  241,  256,  326,  327. 

The     Antiquities    of    the    British 

Churches  (StilUngfleet) 17. 

34,  40,  42,  55,  281 

The  Art  of  Illuminating 300, 

301,  305,  306. 

The  Catacombs  of  Rome  (Withrow)  104. 

The  Doctrines  and  Discipline  of  the 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church  160. 

The   Early   Scottish    Church    (M' 

Lauchlan) 49, 

90,  122,  162,  171,  177,  178,  180, 193, 
197,  216,  284,  293, 

The  Holy  Scriptures  in  Ireland  One 
Thousand  Years  ago  (Olden, 

translator) 42, 

154,  156,  296,  298,  312,  313,  314, 
315,  316,  318,  319,  320,  329. 

The  Koran  (Sale) '. 100. 

The  Latin  Church  (Soames) 62, 

251. 

The  Pope  and  Council 280. 

The  Religious  Denominations  of  the 

United  States 311. 

The  Roman  Schism  (Perceval) 91, 

92. 

The  Topography  of  Ireland  (Giral- 
dus Cambrensis) 65, 

80, 119,  272,  299. 


INDEX   OF   WORKS   REFERRED   TO. 


339 


PAGE 

The  Writings  of  Patrick  the  Apostle 

(if  Ireland 106, 

123,  IGl. 
Visits  to  Monasteries  in  the  Levant 

(Curzou) 193. 

Vita  Bonifac 270 

Vit.  Constant.  (Eusebius) 29, 

48,  111. 

Vit.  Gild 55. 

'     Vita  Sanct.  August 218. 

Vita  St.  MalachiiB  (Bernard  of  Clair- 

;  vaux) 80, 

{  275,  282,  287. 

1 
i 


PAGE 

Vit.  St.  Remigius 152, 

Works  (Gildas) 20, 

25,  30,  32,  52,  54,  285,  321,  331. 

Works  (Gregory  the  Great) 83. 

Works  (Ufisher) 46, 

55,  64,  83,  88,  118,  119,  121,  If.O, 
161,  178,  179,  183,  228,229,  234,  2.i6, 
237,  261 ,  26f,,  273,  286,  293,  297,  306, 
309,  311,  312,  313, 316,  319, 329, 332. 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


PAGE 

Aidan,  St.:  Talented  and  pious 197 

missionary  to  Northumbrians....  220 
success    of,    among     Northum- 
brians  223,  234 

a  true  Protestant 223 

a  man  of  prayer 223 

faith  and  practice  built  on  Bible  224 

his  teachings 225,  226 

his  humility  and  earnestness... 

225,  220 

founded  Lindisfarne 228 

founded  Melrose 229 

Alban,  St.:  Story  of  his  conversion...  171 
Anglo-Saxons,  The  :  Attacking  Brit- 
ons     45 

fierce  war  by 52 

conquest  of  Britain  by ,54 

missionaries  sent  to 1G4 

pestilence  among 239 

rearing  their  temples 217 

monasteries  among 228 

monasteries  of,  similar  to  that  at 

lona 232 

churches  of,  "exorcised" 26f5 

Arius  :  Doctrines  of 35,  36 

Augustine,  of  Hippo:  Assailing  Pel- 

agius  4.3 

addressing  him  by  letter 46 

member  of  African  council 97 

establishing  monasticism    290 

Augustine,  the  Monk  :  Seeking  Eng- 
land   218 

ordained     Mellitus    over     East 

Saxons 237 

undue  credit  given  to 240 

pretended  miracle  by 252 

conference  held  by,  at    Augus- 
tine's Oak 251-2.5.-,,  259 

his  haughtiness 2.54,  258 

his  assumption  of  authority. ..255-257 
command  to,  from  Gregory.. 266 


PAGE 

Bangor  :  (Wales)  Site  of  celebrated 

school 55,56,104 

Gildas,  Abbot  of 57 

(Ireland)  Columba,  a  member  of,  104 

monastery  at 292,303,  308 

Baptism :    Administered    to    many 

Britons 49,  50 

immersion  (trine) 49 

as  administered  by  St.  Patrick... 

49,  151,  152,  154,  155,  156,  157 

infant,  unpractised 50,  151,  153 

of  believers 50 

of  Northumbrians 221 

dministered    to    unregenerate 

idolaters 238 

Baptists:    Claim  church  independ- 
ence   158 

may  claim  St.  Patrick  substan- 
tially   163 

Bernard:  of  Clairvaux 273,  274 

on  Irish  clergy 287,  288 

Boniface:  Reference  to  and  oath  of.. 

269-271 

opponents  to 2S6 

"Book:  that  of  Armagh     '. 42 

in  existence  a.  d  8 :i7 124 

contains  St.  Patrick's  "Confes- 
sion." ..     124 

of  the  Angel,  a  fraud 99,  100 

of  Kells 300 

of  Durrow 300 

Brigit,  St.:  St.  Patrick's  helper 99 

Britain:  Gospel  introduced  into 14 

Roman  legions  in 14 

Tyrians  trading  with 15 

Christians  in,  numerous 28 

the  birthplace  of  Helena     33 

bisliops  in 34 

Christians  numerous  in 37 

education  in,  under  Romans 'M 

Roman  cities  in 41 

341 


342 


GENERAL   INDEX. 


PAGE 

Britain:  Kevival  in,  A.  D.  429 48 

.'^axon  conquest  of 54 

division  of,  by  Romans...., 63 

sending  helpers  to  St.  Patrick 103 

bishops   of,  repudiating  Augus- 
tine  255,  256 

Britons:  Influencing  Anglo-Saxons.    11 

belonging  to  Celtic  race 13 

subjugated  by  Agricola 14 

adopting  Eoman  costumes 14 

Greek  Christians,  preaching  to...     16 
Lucius    not    king  of,  as  repre- 
sented      19 

as  characterized  by  Gildas 20 

evangelizing  the  Picts 166 

evangelistic  success  among 32 

charge  of  heresy  against 35 

schools  among 40 

writings  of 40 

many  of  them  Pelagians 44 

attacked  by  Saxons 45 

religious  awakening  among 48,  49 

believers' baptism  among 50 

monastic  schools  among 50 

copying  Roman  elegance 52 

suffering  from  Roman  departure    52 

admitting  Saxons 53 

driven  to  Cornwall  and  Wales...    53 

held  Baptist  doctrines 58 

churches  of,  hostile  to  Roman- 
ists    266 

marriage  of  ministry  approved 
among 285 

Canons:  Of  Nice  and  Sardica 

92,  93,  94,  97,  98 

that  of  Milevi 93 

that  of  St.  Patrick,  non-existent    98 

that  of  Celychyth. 267,  268 

Caedmon:  The  poet 231,232 

Canterbury:  Augustine  at 12 

St.  Martin's  church  at 28 

bishops  of  Rome  maintained  at..  176 

baptisms  near 218 

archbishop  for,  appointed 249 

Theodore,  archbishop  of 264 

new  jurisdiction    for    archbish- 
ops of 271 

Carthagenians  :  Rivaled  by  Greeks..     15 

Christians:  Early  zeal  of 15 

persecutions  of 15 


I  PAGE 

Christians:  of  "Vienne  and  Lyons.  ...     16 

(Greeks)  in  France 16 

in  Britain  prosperous 28,  29 

persecution  of,  by  Diocletian....  29,  30 
freedom  of,  under  Constantine...    34 

numerous  in  Britain 37 

forbidden  the  schools'in  Britain    39 
in  Ireland  opposed  to  Pelagian- 
ism 43 

persecuted  by  Saxons 54 

enslaved  in  Ireland 60 

bearing  tidings  of  persecution....  170 
renouncing  salvation  by  human 

merit 314 

of  Great  Britain    and    Ireland 

believed  in  heaven  direct 332 

Christianity :  Origin  of,  in  Britain...    16 

Paul  claimed  as  founder  of.. 17 

from  East 17 

Eastern  origin  denied 19 

Rome,  reputed  founder  of. 19 

success  of,  detailed  by  Eusebius..    20 

of  Britain  37 

slow  growth  of  in  France 38 

in  relation  to  education 39 

destroyed  in  Britain  by  Saxons..    54 

in  Ireland 62 

Northumbrians  accepting 220 

Church:  "  Eldest  Son "  of. 22 

usurpation    over    ( English)    by 

Theodore 264,265 

Scottish,  an  outlawed  commun- 
ity   267 

Irish,  independent  of  Rome 273 

Irish,    protested    against    Rad- 

bert's  view  of  Eucharist 324 

Churches :   In  Britain,  settled  a.  d. 

314 34 

interested  in  Ireland ...    59 

in  Ireland   independent  of  the 

pope 85 

in  Africa  overruled  by  the  pope..    92 
of  Gaul  denied  the  pope's  author- 
ity     95 

numerous  among  East  Saxons....  239 
of    ancient    Britain    essentially 

one  Protestant  body 250,  251 

of  Britain  independent  of  Rome  255 
of  Scots  and  Britons  hostile  to 

Romanists 266 

of  Ireland  independent  of  Rome  276 


GENERAL   INDEX. 


343 


PAGE 

Clovis  and  Roman  Church 22,  23 

Coliuan,  bishop:  Brave  in  defense  of 

Protestant  Britons 248 

returning  to  Ireland 249 

Columba:  From  school  at  Bangor...  104 

work  of,  among  the  Picts 160 

trained  in  St.  Patrick's  school....  182 

his  descent  and  biographers 182 

his  preparation  for  work 183,  184 

work  in  Ireland ...  185 

his  ability  and  consecration. .185,  186 

success  of  his  work 187-189,  304 

sailing  for  lona 190 

founding  the  community 192 

engaged  in  multiplying  Script- 
ures   196 

his  doctrine  evangelical 199 

no  claim  to  pardon  sin 200 

preached  the  "  word  of  God" 201 

no  good  "Life  "of... 202 

effort  for  King  Brude 203,  204 

his  name  commemorated 206 

his  services  non-liturgical 207 

power  in  prayer 207,  208 

a  peacemaker 209 

incidents  of  his  life 211-216,  322 

his  literary  work 215 

associates  of 216 

not  a  bishop 283,  284 

vision  of. 330 

death  of. 330,  331 

did  not  go  to  purgatory 331 

Columbanus:  Mission  ot,  to  conti- 
nent   160,  304,  305 

his  appeal  to  Canon  of  Constan- 
tinople...;   161 

rule  of,  for  monks 19S 

reference  to 296,  ?,?.2 

spiritual  teaching  of 317 

Commentaries:  In  monasteries... 295-298 
that  of  "  Wurtzburg  Glosses  "  297, 298 

that  of  Sedulius 316-319 

Confession:  St.  Patrick's 124-145 

Consecrations :  Of  Saxon  Protestant 

Churches 266 

of  Westminster  Abbey 267 

Cornwall:  People  of, ancient  Britons  277 
Councils:    That    of  Aries,    France, 

A.  D.  314 34 

that  of  Trent,  A.  D.  156?,. ..35,  321,  332 
that  at  Nice,  a.  d.  325 36,    92 


PA6E 

Councils:  That  atSardica.A.  d. 317,36, 91 

that  at  Arimiuum,  a.  d.  3-^0 37 

Hilary  of  Poictiers  on 37 

that  at  Whitby,  a.  d.  664 86 

that  at  Chalcedon,  A.  D.  451  92 

that  of  Africa,  a.  d.  419 97 

that  of  Constantinople,  a.  d.381,  160 

that  of  Celychyth,  a.  v.  816 267 

that  of  Brevy 281 

Creed:   St.  Patrick's 128 

of  Constantinople 158 

Druidism:  in  Britain  13 

overthrown .* 14 

renounced  by  Cormac  MacArt, 

king  of  Ireland 109 

warred  on  from  lona rJ4 

hostility  of 204 

Dumbarton  :  St.  Patrick's  birthplace 

at 63 

plundering  raids  against 66 

East  Saxons  :  Apostasy  among 12,  220 

territory  of. 237 

Mellitus  ordained  bishop  of. 237 

king  of,  baptized 238 

numerous  churches  among 239 

Easter:  Epistle  regarding 118 

observance  of,  by  Columbanus...  IGO 

dispute  respecting 

244, 251,  254,  260,  262,  265 
Elfric's  sermon,  read  on 327 

Episcopacy:  In  Irish  church 282 

Erigena,  John  Scotus 324-328 

Fiace:  Hymn  of. 88,  315 

Germanus:  Visits  Britain 48 

administering  baptism 49,  50 

churches  named  for  him 51 

the  friend  of  St.  Patrick M 

Gospel:  First  conquests  of 23,  24 

introduction  into  Britain 25 

in  Britain,  A.  D.  63..  26 

success  of,  mentioned  by  Tertul- 

lian  26,  27 

extended  in  Britain  by  monastic 

schools 54 

success  of,  in  Ireland 103 

received  by  Northumbria. 234 

Greeks:  Succeeding  Carthapenians,  15 
Gregory,  tlic  Groat :  .'^ilcnce  of,  as  to 

St.  Patrick's  success 83 


344 


GENERAL   IXDEX. 


PAGE 

Gregory,  the  Great:  bringing  evil  to 

Anglo-Saxon  Church 219 

command  of,  to  Augustine 266 

Hilda  (St.) :  Abbess  at  Whitby 86 

talented  and  useful 230 

lona :  Attempt  to  make  it  Romanist.    98 

Columba  identified  with 186 

founded  by  Columba 191 

ruins  at 192 

the  inmatefe  of  193 

its  development 194 

monks  of,  engaged  in  preparing 

Scriptures  for  circulation 196 

marriage  permitted  at 198 

no  intercessor  at,  but  Christ 213 

plundered  by  Danes 215 

missionaries    for   Anglo-Saxons 

from 217 

Anglo-Saxons'  monasteries  like..  232 

bishops  subject  to  abbot  of. 2s3 

Ireland:  Description  of. 59 

St.  Patrick,  a  missionary  to. ..59,    60 

call  of  St.  Patrick  to 69 

Palladius  sent  to 72 

people  of,  converted 73 

Christian  congregations  in,  be- 
fore, A.  D.  431 74 

St.  Patrick's  labors  in,  successful    76 

gospel  victorious  in 103 

gospel  preached  in,  by  St.  Patrick  164 

country  of  the  Scots 166 

Columba's  work  therein 185 

influence  of  Scriptures  in 205 

furnishing  refuge  to  the  perse- 
cuted   249 

churches  in,  Baptist  as  to  bishops  282 
school  of  the  West 308 

Kentigern,  St.  Mungo:  A  Briton 178 

his  work  in  Scotland  and  Wales, 

179,  180 
spurious     miracles     connected 
with 180 

"  Lebar  Brecc,"  The:  account  of 
St.  Patrick's  Roman  commis- 
sion in 79,    80 

story  of  3t.  Patrick  in 108 

quotation  from 119 

St.  Patrick's  words  of  Bible,  in...  162 


PAGE 

Leo,  the  Great :  Rescript  of. 95 

Lindisfarne:  Colman,  bishop  of 195 

seeof  Aidanin 223,  228 

trained  men  going  from 2-8 

Finan,  bishop  of 238 

Londonderry:    Fame   and  siege  of, 

188,  189 
Lord's  Supper:    Celebrated  in  two 

kinds 322 

a  figurative  sacrifice 323,  328 

transubstantiation  of  denounced 

324-826 
Lucius  (King) :  Not  known  to  Gildas,    20 

not  mentioned  by  Eusebius 21 

unmentioned  by  Gregory 21 

not  "  eldest  son  "  of  churchr 23 

reputed    founder,    St.    Martin's 
church 28 

Malachi  (St.) :  Primacy  of 287,  288 

Marriage:  Of  ministry 285-288 

of  monks  and  nuns,  289-291,  293,  311 

Melrose:  Founded  by  Aidan 229 

Cuthbert  trained  therein 229 

Mercia  :  Finan,  the  missionary  to...  235 

dimensions  of 236 

Carey,  and  Judson's  ancestors, 
born  in 236 

Monasteries:  That  at  Hippo 290 

that  founded  by  St.  Brigit 292 

that  at  Bangor,  oldest.. ..292,  303,  308 

monks  at,  married 298,  311 

employed  for  study  of  Scripture,  293 

that  at  Clonard^ 293,299,  302 

commentaries  written  in 295-298 

were  Bible  societies 299,  300 

Scriptorium  in 301 

theological  seminaries 302 

home    and  foreign  mission  so- 
cieties  303-307 

that  at  St.  Gall 306 

Irish  and  Scotch  schools 308-310 

that  of  Seventh  Day  Baptists 311 

Muirchu  Maccu-Mactheni:    His  no- 
tice of  St.  Patrick 87,  318 

story  by 107,  108 

account  of  Patrick  at  Tara  ..115,  11^ 

Ninian  :  Sent  to  Picts 85,  295 

mentioned  by  Bede 87 

welcomed  by  the  Picts 171 


GENERAL   INDEX. 


345 


PAGE 

Ninian:  Born  a.  d.  360,  in  Wales 173 

of  exalted  character  and  success  174 

eminent  as  a  commentator  175 

no  marks  of  Romanism  in  his 
work 176 

Northumbria:  Edwin,  king  of 219 

missionary  field  of  Aidan 220 

Oswald,  king  of 222 

Christianized 2.]:j 

extent  of 2U 

persecution  in 2G2,  263 

Oswald  (king):  Mentioned  by  Bede..    86 

of  saintly  character 222 

appointing  a  see  for  Aidan 223 

interpreting  for  Aidan 223 

a  brave  soldier 226,  227 

his  liberality 227 

head  of  Protestant  Church 241 

Palls :    Insignia  of  pope's  commis- 
sion  272,278 

four  brought  from  Rome 273 

requested 275,  276 

Palladius  :  Sent  to  Ireland 72.  73 

name    of,  confounded  with  St. 

Patrick's  74 

Tirechan's  reference  to 77 

ordained  by  Pope  Celestine 81 

laboring  in  Pictland 177,  178 

Papal  Rome :  Relation  of,  to  pagan- 
ism     21 

mission  efforts  of,  delayed 22 

its  commission  of  St.  Patrick 80 

appeals  to 91 

canon  commanding  appeals  to....  99 
Niuian's  connection  with,  ceased  175 
failure  of,  among  East  Saxons, 

240,  241 

guilty  of  bribery 244 

persecuting    Protestant    Chris- 
tians  247,248 

seeking  authority  in  Britain 

253-256,  272,  273,  277-279 
atrocities  of,  in  Northumbria,  262, 264 
"           "     Wales  and  Scot- 
land..   280 

Paschasius  Radbert :  Novel  view  of  324 

Scotus  opposed  to 325,326 

Paulinus    (Suetonius) :    Destroying 

Druids 13 


PAGE 

Paulinus:  Missionary  work  of.. ...13,  221 

Pelagius:  War  against 36 

a  Briton 41 

an  eminent  scholar 42,  295 

his  errors 43 

character  of,  unblemished 43 

assailed  by  Augustine 43 

followers  defeated  in  debate 44 

a  writer  of  force 46 

made  many  friends 46 

among  ablest  of  British  Chris- 
tians      47 

monks,  in  his  time 289 

Pelagianism  :  In  Britain,  a.  D.  425..,.    44 

defeated 44 

revived 45 

outbreak  of,  in  Wales 55 

Persecution :  Cruelty  of,  under  Dio- 
cletian   29-31, 169 

St.  Alban  martyred  in 29,  80 

discontinued  by  Galerius 31,32 

against  Britons  by  Saxons 54 

of  anti-Romanists 247,  248 

of  Scots 262-268 

Picts, the:  Invading  Britain 45 

opposed  by  Gerraanus 48 

ferocious  warriors 52 

Ninian  sent  to  them 85 

success  of  Columba  among 160 

united  with  Scots 166 

evangelized  by  Britons,  166,  168,  170 

unconquered  by  Romans 169 

work  of  Columba  among 304 

Protestants:  Original  inhabitants  of 

Britain,  such 250 

interest  excited  by 258 

pope  afraid  of  spirit  of 269 

Irish,  conspicuous  evangelists  of,  310 

Purgatory:  No  belief  in 330-332 

Religious  Liberty  :    favored  by  St 

Patrick 162 

by  Columba  and  Columbanus 

163,  164 

dear  to  Scots 259 

Romans:  Legions  of,  in  Britain 14 

favoring  education 39,  40 

cities  of,  in   Britain 41 

removing  from  Britain 51,5.' 

not  attempting  conque<;t  of  Ire- 
land     59 


346 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


PAGE 

Romans  unable  to  conquer  the  Picts.  169 

Schools:  Among  Britalns 40 

monastic,  established 50,  51 

Bible  studied  in 54 

that  at  Bangor 56,  303,  308 

that  at  Whitby 86,229,  230 

that  of  St.  Patrick 103,  105 

that  at  Durrow 118, 187 

that  at  Londonderry 186 

that  at  lona   186,  189 

no  rules  at,  of  celibacy  and  pov- 
erty    198 

the  brotherhood  of,  supreme......  199 

that  at  Melrose 223 

that  at  Lindisfarne 223,  228 

those  of  Lismore  and  Slane 309 

Scots,    The:    Possessed    an    earlier 

home  than  Caledonia 105 

missionaries  from,  successful  in 

England 240,  241 

did  not  train  their  converts 242 

bribery      seduced     their     con- 
verts  24.3,244 

disputes  of,  with  Romanists.. .244-248 

Romish  institutions  hated  by 259 

papal  libel  on 260 

expulsion  of,  from  England. ..262,  263 
compulsory    uniformity    repug- 
nant to... 264 

churches  of,  hostile  to  Roman- 
ists     266 

church  of,  outlawed 267 

Scriptures,  The :  Studied  in  schools,    56 

texts  from,-cited  57 

copies  of,  multiplied  at  lona  and 

elsewhere 197 

beuefits  of,  in  Ireland 205 

ministry    of,  sanctioning    mar- 
riage   286 

St.  Patrick's  disciples  versed  in..  291 
Secundinus:    Alphabetical  hymn  of 

88,  89, 104 
makes  a  grand  character  of  St. 

Patrick 89 

had   knowledge  of  Greek   and 

Latin 104 

Sedulius:  Commentary  of... ..316,  319,  329 

St.  David 55 

St.  Patrick:  Birthplace  of 

40,  63,  04,  65,  68 


PAGS 

St.  Patrick:  kidnapped 41,  64 

father  of 41,  285 

compared  with  Pelagius 47 

baptized  in  a  well 49.) 

administered  immersion 49 

became  a  missionary  to  Irish. ..59,  60 

ordaining  and  edifying 62 

held  as  a  slave 66 

a  Briton 67 

born  about  a,  t>.  360 69 

unskilled  as  a  scholar 69 

his  call  to  preach 69,  70 

letter  of  to  Coroticus 70,  71 

in  Ireland  long  before  supposed 

papal  mission 72 

his    work     ignored     by    papal 

authorities 73 

confounded  with  Palladius 74 

his  vision 75,  315 

a  missionary  to  Ireland  before 

end  of  fourth  century 76 

stories  of  by  Tirechan 77,  78 

had  no  papal  commission 80 

his  "Confession" 80-82 

his  work  unnoticed  by  Gregory..    83 

attached  to  Gallic  brethren 84 

not  spoken  of  by  Bede 85 

Bede  had  knowledge  of  him 87 

reason   for  non-mention  of  by 

Bede 87 

did  not  go  to  Rome '"§8) 

hymns  in  praise  of. 88 

specimen  of  Bible  Christianity...    90 
explanation  of  supposed  Roman 

commission 90 

close  relations  of,  to  France 96 

reputed  canon  of,  non-existent...    98 

helped  by  St.  Brigit.. 99 

of  humble  mind 101 

persevering  and  wise 102 

helpers  of,  from  Gaul  and  Brit- 
ain   103 

various  works  of. 105 

of  powerful  intellect 105 

preaching  to  King  Loeghaire's 

daughters 105,  106 

of  great  courage 105,  106 

his  visit  to  Miliuc 107 

his  visit  to  King  Loeghaire 

108,  314,  316 
visit  of,  to  Tara 112,  113,  115,  116 


GENERAL   INDEX. 


347 


PAGE 

St.  Patrick :  His  relation  to  miracles  116 

his  knowledge  of  Irish 116 

his  magnetic  power 116 

reliance  of,  upon  God 117 

his  brethren,  Baptists 117 

results  of  his  work 118 

quotations  regarding 118-123 

"Confession"  of 124-145 

his  letter  to  Coroticus 145-150 

his  creed 128, 159,  316 

his  adherence  to  scriptural  bap- 
tism  152,  154,  155-157,  251 

held   to   the    independence    of 

churches 158 

ordained  his  own  tishops 160 

agreement   with    modern    Bap- 
tists   IGl 

his  words  about  the  Bible 162 

St.  Patrick  and  religious  liberty  162 

remarkable  as  a  missionary 164 

substantially  a  Baptist 164 

reference  to  conversion  of  Irish.  290 
his  disciples  versed  in  Scripture.  291 

he  preached  Christ 315 

he  preached  conversion 316 

opposed  to  purgatory 330 


Taliessyn :  Extracts  from. 


261 


PAGE 

Tara:  Capital  of  Ireland 110 

people  met  at Ill 

the  feast  at Ill,  112 

St.  Patrick's  visit  to 112,  113 

The  Deer's  Cry  (liymn) 114,  115 

Tirechan:    An    unreliable    biogra- 
pher of  St.  Patrick 77,  78 

St.  Patrick's  selection  of  a  bish- 
op in 286 

Tyrians :  Supplanted  by  Carthage...    15 

Virgin  Mary :  Intercessory  office  of 

not  mentioned 321 

Wales:  Eomish  authority  in 277,  278 

peculiar    circumstances   of    ac- 
quirement  278,  279 

Protestantism  of,    a  sacrifice  to 

Rome 279 

Wall,  Roman:   Built  against  Picia 

and  Scots 167 

West  Saxons:  Chad,  bishop  of 240 

Whitby  :  Council  at,  A.  D.  664 86 

school  at 86 

Whitefield :  Used  as  illustration..242,  243 

"  Wiirtzburg  Glo.sses  " 

297,  298,  308,  309,  312-314,  315,  316 
318-320,  328,  329. 


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PRINTED  !N  U.S.A. 

